Refuge at last: Sellay’s body bore marks of violence

Sellay was tortured, confirms medical legal officer who examined the young woman found chained by her husband.

KARACHI: A young woman who was found chained by the Baloch Colony police on Thursday bore marks of physical violence on her body, said the medical legal officer (MLO) who examined her on Friday.

Exhausted and feverish, Sellay finally felt at ease at her uncle’s house in Lyari, Quaidabad on Friday. The 27-year-old woman made headlines when she accused her husband, Muhammad Abid, and in-laws of torturing her and keeping her chained in their house.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Noor Ahmed, the MLO at Civil Hospital Karachi, who is handling Sellay’s case, said, “We found marks on two parts of her body.” He said that these marks were probably the result of “beating or punches to her face and rope or other forms of restrictions on her legs”. According to Ahmed, the marks on Sellay’s body are about four to five days old, which seems to substantiate her story. “However, we [MLOs] can only ascertain that the marks are present. Who caused those marks is the job of the investigating officers,” he added.

Once she had finally escaped from her husband’s house, Sellay made herself clear: she wanted a divorce.

To verify the legitimacy of her allegations, Sellay was taken to Civil Hospital Karachi for a medical check-up on Friday. Following the examination, she was handed over to her uncle, Gulfaraz Khan, said Baloch Colony SHO Samad Khan.

“We have called her mother and she is trying to come to Karachi but she will confirm tomorrow [Saturday,” Gulfaraz told The Express Tribune. “Till then she will stay with me,” he said, adding that his niece was “absolutely sure” that she did not want to return to her husband.

“We do not want to pursue a case nor do we want any feud with them [Sellay’s in-laws]. She just wants an end to the marriage,” he said.

As Sellay’s marriage was a “watta-satta” marriage, her brother’s wife [also her husband’s sister] has now returned to her own home of “her own free-will” Gulfaraz said. “Whether she [Sellay’s sister-in-law] decides to stay or come back is for her to decide as she has suffered no problems with us,” he added.

Meanwhile, station investigation officer Waqar Jadoon said that the accused were presented before the court on Friday afternoon, after which they were released on bail. According to him, the court would hear the case in 14 days, after which the medical report will also be presented.

Sellay was living with her husband and two brothers-in-law in Ashraf Colony for the past six months. She was married to Muhammad Abid in May last year.

IO Khan said on Thursday that they have arrested her husband and his brothers and filed an FIR.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2011.