Angry with her husband for being drunk, a woman in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh tied him to a bed. The drama did not end there as the woman's mother-in-law, affronted by the punishment meted out to his son, reached a police station with a photo of her daughter-in-law carrying what appears to be a country-made gun.
A video of the man tied to a bed, widely shared online, has prompted his mother to approach the police with a formal complaint and what she says is photographic evidence of her daughter-in-law holding a firearm.
The incident is reported from Hamidpur village in Aligarh.
According to the complaint, the woman allegedly tied her husband to a cot and assaulted him after accusing him of consuming alcohol. In the video that has since gone viral, the man can be seen restrained, while his wife is heard creating a ruckus nearby.
Family members say that after learning of the incident, the victim's mother and several villagers rushed to the house, where they freed the man from the cot.
The matter took a more serious turn, the family alleges, because the woman is said to be in possession of an illegal pistol, which she has allegedly used to threaten her husband. The victim's mother reached the police station carrying a photograph that she claims shows her daughter-in-law holding the weapon.
"My son is Pradeep. His wife beats him. She has a pistol and keeps threatening to kill him. I searched the house extensively, but couldn't find the pistol. The daughter-in-law is a resident of Rasulpur, her name is Soni. We've been married for four years, and she's been harassing us for the last two years. We also complained to the police and public representatives, and now we've come to the Tappal police station," the mother said.
The woman added that earlier complaints to both the police and local public representatives had, according to the family, not resulted in any concrete action. The latest complaint, she said, was filed in the hope that the viral video and the photograph would prompt a more thorough response.
The family has reiterated its demand for action, alleging sustained harassment over the past two years and repeated threats involving the firearm.
Police officials confirmed that they have received the complaint and are examining both the viral video and the allegations made by the family. Further investigation into the case is underway.
"A video circulating on social media shows a man tied to a cot. A thorough investigation revealed that the man tied to the cot is Pradeep, a resident of Hamidpur, Tappal Police Station. The police investigation revealed that Pradeep frequently argues with his wife over domestic matters. The wife alleges that Pradeep, under the influence of alcohol, frequently fights not only at home but also with neighbours. Due to these circumstances, the wife tied her husband to the cot. Taking cognisance of the viral video, Tappal Police Station has summoned Pradeep's wife to the police station and initiated questioning," the police said in a statement.
(With inputs from Adnan Khan)
