A 36-year-old domestic worker and her son were allegedly abducted and confined for two days at two locations in Bengaluru following a dispute over a loan, with the woman accusing a group of assaulting her, threatening her with a knife and recording a video after allegedly forcing her to undress, police said on Saturday.
The incident came to light after Chandra Layout police rescued the woman and her son from a house near Kumbalagodu.
Chandra Layout police have arrested Nazath Begum (36), Reshma Banu (36), and her husband Suhail (37), in connection with the case. Another accused, identified as Saif, is also being investigated.
According to the complaint, the woman borrowed ₹50,000 from Nazath and agreed to repay it in weekly instalments of ₹5,000. She also borrowed ₹1 lakh from Reshma about two years ago and was paying interest on the amount.
The woman told police that financial difficulties prevented her from making regular payments. Reshma allegedly began visiting her house and demanding the pending interest. The woman subsequently blocked Reshma’s phone numbers but claimed that the demands continued through Reshma’s mother. She said she eventually stayed away from her home for nearly two months.
On August 27, Nazath allegedly contacted the woman, offering her some paid work. She went to Nazath’s house in Metro Layout at around 5.30pm, accompanied by her younger son.
While the woman was feeding her child, Nazath allegedly stepped outside and spoke to someone. Shortly afterwards, Reshma, Suhail and two others allegedly entered the house and locked the door.
The woman alleged that Suhail demanded ₹11 lakh towards the loan and accumulated interest and attacked her hand with a knife. When her son began crying, Reshma and Suhail allegedly assaulted her and snatched her mobile phone.
Later that evening, the woman and her son were allegedly taken in an autorickshaw to a house near Kumbalagodu. She claimed that Reshma and Suhail threatened her and told her to take up prostitution if she could not repay the money.
The duo were allegedly kept locked inside a room overnight. The woman said she developed a fever the next day but was allegedly assaulted again by Nazath, Suhail and Saif. She further alleged that Nazath forced her to remove her clothes and recorded a video, threatening to circulate it if the money was not repaid.
The following day, Reshma, Suhail and Nazath allegedly took her to a lawyer’s office and made her sign some documents before returning her to the house.
The woman later managed to alert her family when she was allowed to step out to use the toilet. Police reached the house and rescued her and her son.
Speaking to HT on Saturday, Chandra Layout police inspector M Jeevan said a case had been registered under relevant sections pertaining to kidnapping, outraging the modesty of a woman and assault. The accused persons’ mobile phones have been seized and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).
“We are also verifying the loan transactions, the alleged demand for ₹11 lakh and the circumstances surrounding the documents signed by the woman,” Jeevan said.
The accused have been sent to 14 days’ judicial custody.
