A newly-wed woman in Nabarangpur district of Odisha accused her in-laws and husband of first ill-treating her over dowry demands and then ostracising and torturing over suspicion of being infected with the novel coronavirus.

The woman said she was forced to sleep on the floor and was not allowed to use the common washroom after she developed symptoms of cold, cough and fever.

Puja Sarkar, who hails from Murtuma village in Odisha, had married Jayant Kumar on March 2.

Puja's family had given Rs 2.5 lakh cash, jewellery, bike and valuables worth Rs 5 lakh as dowry to Kumar's family. However, her in-laws continued to demand an additional amount of Rs 5 lakh.

Unable to bear the torture from her husband and in-laws, Puja left their house and lodged a complaint at the Umerkote police station.

Narrating her ordeal, Puja said, "Earlier, my husband and in-laws tortured me demanding dowry and after I developed cold and cough syndrome, they ostracised me, forcing me to sleep on the floor and not allowing me to use the toilet."

Nabrangpur Police SP Nitin Kusalkar told India Today TV, "A complaint was registered with Umerkote police station alleging torture over dowry. Coronavirus suspicion was also added to the complaint. We have arrested Jayant Kumar and his father and booked them u/s 498(A), 323, 506 and 34 IPC since it was a domestic violence case."