BAREILLY: A woman forced by her parents-in-law to eat cow dung and drink detergent powder mixed with water and kerosene oil died after being brought home from hospital in Bareilly. Twenty-eight-year-old Sheela had reportedly been harassed for bringing insufficient dowry after her marriage ten years ago. Police are also exploring whether she was being treated by a quack or faith healer.

Sheela’s kin told police and reporters that she had been fed the unusual diet, and also suffered harassment by relatives of her husband. Her brother said she had given birth to two daughters, and was harassed for her inability to bear a son. She had, however, a few years ago, given birth to a son.

Sheela, who lived with her husband at Sharmiya village, had taken ill last year, her brother said, and was taken to different hospitals. Her condition did not improve after prolonged treatment. She had asked her brothers to take her away to her parental home, and complained that she had been ill-treated.

Her sister said, “She was forced to eat cow dung, drink kerosene and detergent mixed with water. When she resisted, her parents-in-law and husband tied up her hands and legs and forced the stuff into her mouth.”

Her brother said that she grew progressively weaker, but the harassment continued. It was her brother who had brought her to a local hospital. She died on Thursday. Before dying, she told nursing staff and newsmen of the trauma she suffered, leaving those who heard her tale horrified.

Sheela’s siblings have taken a complaint to police, and an FIR was filed at the Shahi police station on Friday. No arrests have yet been made. An autopsy report said the woman had suffered an infection in the lungs. A second autopsy report will be conducted, police said, to ascertain whether the allegations made by the woman’s kin are true.

SP (rural) Brijesh Kumar Srivastava told TOI, “The husband and parents-in-law of the woman are poor, and possibly ran out of resources to treat her. They may have fed her these things in the superstitious belief that it would cure her. We are investigating the matter. Strict action will be taken against all those named in the complaint if the allegations are found true.”

