In a shocking incident in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district, Mangibai Tanwar was beaten, branded with a hot iron rod, and chained to a pillar by her husband Sardar Singh Tanwar. The violence began on June 10 evening when Sardar returned home drunk, abused her, and brutally assaulted her with a stick after she objected. When she tried to escape towards the police station, he caught her near a temple, brought her back, wrapped an iron chain around her neck, locked it to a pillar, and branded her on the waist, hip, and right thigh while taunting her. She remained captive for nearly 24 hours as he attempted to organise a village panchayat to suppress any complaint.
Mangibai showed remarkable courage when her husband left the house to call villagers. She used a stone to repeatedly strike and break the lock, then walked approximately six kilometres through fields and rough terrain in the dark to reach Khilchipur police station around with the iron chain still dangling from her neck. Her feet were pierced by thorns, and she was exhausted and bruised. Passers-by often mistook her for a mentally ill person; one stranger offered her food during the arduous journey.
Police personnel were stunned by her condition, immediately removed the chain, and rushed her for medical examination that confirmed the injuries and burn marks. A case has been registered against Sardar Singh Tanwar, who was arrested and produced in court. The incident highlights severe domestic violence and the survivor’s resilience in turning the chain used to confine her into crucial evidence. Investigations are ongoing.
