Elderly woman tortured by daughters, sons-in-law

Kolkata: An octogenarian woman was allegedly tortured by two of her own daughters and her son-in-laws for refusing to vacate her house in Kasba where she lives with one of her ailing son and two unmarried daughters. As per the complaint lodged by the woman's daughter Bani Das at Kasba police station, the elder daughter and her husband on Friday night pushed the elderly woman off her bed and went away taking the bed along with them.

"Two of my elder sisters Rekha and Soma along with their husbands for the last few months have been constantly pressurising and intimidating us to vacate the 4 cottah land at Kalika Place area so that the land on which our house is located could be handed over to a local promoter in lieu of a handsome amount. They pushed my mother off her bed and when I protested, my head was banged against the wall. Even my ailing brother was beaten up," Bani said.

The elderly woman, Usha Das, lives in the ground floor with her youngest son Dipak while the two daughters live in the attic room. Four other rooms in the ground floor have been given on rent and the family sustains its living from the amount they get out of the rent.

Dipak has been suffering from a serious kidney ailment and had a prolonged treatment in a hospital.

"I have two unmarried daughters. What would happen to them if the house is disposed of? They will be rendered homeless. I cannot be so inhuman," the octogenarian said in a feeble voice. She is presently forced to lie on the floor after her elder daughter and her son-in-law took her bed away. The elder daughter lives in the neigbourhood while the second daughter, who is also involved in the torture, is settled in Howrah.

Officials from Kasba police station went to the house of the victim on Saturday evening and assured them of all possible help. "They have also assured us that they will look into the matter," Bani said.