"Bidya was tortured, beaten and spat on her face," reveals police investigation
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 29 2023: Investigation so far has revealed that Bidya took the extreme step to end her life unable to bear the long physical and mental torture inflicted on her by her in-laws and the husband, said Investigating Officer of the case in the Court today.

Investigation into the death of 29-year-old RK ningol Laishram ongbi Bidya alias Devia is in full swing with both parents-in-law remanded to judicial custody while the husband and three others taken into further police custody.

Hearing the case today, the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Imphal West remanded the father-in-law and the mother-in-law of Bidya to judicial custody till May 13 .

Other accused persons including the husband, his two elder sisters and a niece were remanded to 5 more days of police custody for further investigation.

It may be noted that RK Bidya had married Laishram Rocky and the couple had a one-year-old baby girl before she was allegedly found hanging inside a room of their house at Thangmeiband Hijam Dewan Leikai on April 22 morning.

While the locality and several women organisations alleged it was a case of murder not suicide, police had picked arrested six members of the family for investigation.

It was alleged that Bidya was tortured and she had several wound marks on her body.

The six arrested by the police are father-in-law Laishram Tomba (78), mother-in-law Laishram Achoubi Devi (72), husband Laishram Rocky, sister-in-law Laishram Omita Devi (52), sister-in-law Laishram Sarita (38) and Bhumika (21) [daughter of L Omita and niece of Rocky] .

All of them were produced before the Court after the completion of 7 days police custody period along with prayers for judicial custody and further police custody remand.

The accused persons were brought in the Court under tight security measures.

A large number of police personnel were deployed in the complex to prevent any kind of unwanted incident during the Court proceeding.

The case was on after the elder sister of Bidya filed a complaint with the Imphal police station stating that on April 22 at around 12 noon, Laishram Rocky informed her that Bidya (her sister) had been found dead and hanging.

The complaint stated that the previous day on April 21, her sister (Bidya) made a video call to her at around 5.30 pm crying and told her that she was physically assaulted by her husband Rocky, her sister-in-law Omita and [Omita's] daughter Bhumika.

During the video call, Bidya allegedly showed her finger bleeding.

The complainant also claimed that on previous occasions, her sister (Bidya) was tortured and assaulted by her husband and alleged that she (Bidya) was killed by her husband and his family members.

In the Court today, the Investigating Officer of the case, through Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP), submitted that during police custody interrogation, the husband, Rocky claimed that they (him and Bidya) were not compatible and she used to beat her because of her "erratic nature" .

According to the IO's submission in the Court, Rocky claimed that even though they had a love marriage on February 15, 2021, they were hardly compatible and his wife Bidya had a very erratic nature of screaming and shouting loudly.

Sometimes, he used to beat her because of her erratic nature.

Also, Bidya did not take care of his mother.

In February 2023, Rocky claimed he called the family members of his wife at the residence of his elder sister Omita at Nachou Maning Leikai and they discussed separation/divorce.

A heated argument broke out between the two families and the discussion ended inconclusive.

Rocky also claimed that Bidya frequently went and stayed at her parental home without informing him and his family members.

Rocky claimed that on April 21, he was informed by his elder sister Sarita that she along with Bhumika had a heated argument and a fight with his wife Bidya.

When he came back, he found his wife at the residence of his "Nenemacha" and found that his wife had an injury on the right side of her head.

In the meantime, his elder sister Omita rushed towards his wife and slapped her on the face saying "Nangna Tourise Karino" and also spat on his wife's face.

Rocky stated he did not intervene, but brought his wife to RIMS hospital for treatment.

On April 22, the next day, Rocky claimed due to the impact of the incident the previous night his wife (Bidya) was not happy and she woke up at around 7.30 am.

Rocky claimed, as he searched for his wife, she was found hanging from the ceiling fan inside a room next to the room of his niece Bhumika on the first floor.

During interrogation, the IO submitted that the father-in-law, Laishram Tomba claimed his daughter-in-law Bidya frequently stayed at her parental home without informing them and her husband.

He claimed they used to quarrel with each other on petty matters and whenever they quarrel, Bidya used to run out of the house screaming and shouting.

And for this, her husband assaulted her black and blue.

As they are old, he and his wife were not able to intervene.

His elder son Wilson and his wife tried to intervene and advised them not to fight, but it angered Rocky (husband of Bidya) and they fought.

This broke the brotherly relation between them, claimed L Tomba.

During interrogation, the mother-in-law, Achoubi stated she was always against the marriage between Rocky and Bidya as both of them belong to the same clan.

She always complained about the nature of Bidya (her daughter-in-law) to her daughters Omita and Sarita.

Also, she stated they always supported Rocky against his wife Bidya in every argument between the two couples.

In the Court today, the Investigating Officer further submitted that the investigation so far revealed that the victim (Bidya) took the extreme step to end her life unable to bear the long physical and mental torture inflicted on her by her in-laws and the husband.

Her sister-in-laws, Omita and Sarita brutally tortured the victim with a strong intention to separate and divorce the couple instigated by the mother-in-law and father-in-law, submitted the IO .

The IO submitted that the investigation so far conducted has established strong prima facie evidence against all the accused persons however Rocky, Sarita, Omita and Bhumika are further required for interrogation thoroughly.

The painful trauma resulting in mental agony caused by long harassment, torture and physical assault by her in-laws and by her own husband had resulted into the victim taking her own life.

Further, there was no one in the family to support her except some neighbours.

However, in fact, no one came out to protect the victim in need, submitted the IO .

The Court on perusal of the case record and after hearing the submission of the IO through APP in length, remanded husband Rocky, sister-in-laws Omita and Sarita and Bhumika to further 5 more days of police custody.

Further, the Court remanded father-in-law Laishram Tomba and mother-in-law Laishram Achoubi to judicial custody till May 13 .

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