Wife kept under house arrest by kin, alleges Dalit man in Kerala

In a shocking incident from Kerala, a Dalit man has claimed that his wife has been kept in house arrest for marrying him. Kerala Women's Commission have registered a case against the women's relative.

Palakkad:A 28-year-old Dalit man has complained that his wife was forcibly being kept under "house arrest" by her relatives for marrying a person from a lower caste.

Shaji, a native of Pattambi in Palakkad district, had married a woman from Ezhava community in Malappuram on May 2, defying stiff opposition by her kin.

Though her relatives had registered a police complaint saying she was missing, the woman had told the law enforcers she wanted to live with her husband.

"But, soon after that, her relatives forcibly took her to her parents' house and she has been kept under house arrest there since then," Shaji said.

He also alleged even though he had approached the police seeking the release of his wife, the response was not positive.

When the issue triggered a controversy, the Kerala Women's Commission on Sunday registered a case suo moto against the women's relatives.

"We have registered the case based on media reports. We will meet the woman and record her statement, only after which we will know the exact details," Commission member Shiji Sivaji said.

"If the complaint is proved true, we will initiate strict legal measures against the relatives," she added.

The government also sought a report from the Palakkad Superintendent of Police regarding the incident.