Puttur : The officials of the Department of Health and Department of Women and Child Development, with the help of police have rescued a married woman who was locked up in a separate room adjacent her house at Kareja in Kemminje village by her family members since the past three months. The woman who was weak and in a miserable state unable to walk or stand, has been shifted to the Puttur Government Hospital.

The operation followed a call received by the Department that a woman was locked up in a room. The woman Ashalatha is the wife of Sripathi Hebbar who is a cook by profession. The couple has a nine year old daughter. Sripathi’s sister also lived in the house. Efforts made by the officials to contact Sripathi over phone proved futile.

It has been gathered that the family believed that Ashalatha was possessed by some evil spirit and therefore locked her up in a dark room and only gave her black tea and biscuits since the past three months.

Officials have said the case would be probed and action will be taken against the guilty.