‘Put me in jail, but I won’t live with her’: Man runs away from home to avoid wife’s ‘torture’

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BENGALURU:

A Bengaluru-based techie, who went missing on August 4, was located in Noida on Thursday, after fleeing his home to escape what he described as his wife's "torture."

The man, a resident of North Bengaluru, was found by police near a mall in Noida, where he had been seen exiting after watching a movie.

He was returned to Bengaluru by authorities on Friday morning.

The techie's disappearance had prompted his wife to take to social media, accusing the police of not doing enough to find her husband, whom she initially feared had been kidnapped.

The techie had left home, reportedly to withdraw cash from an ATM, before vanishing.

During the investigation, police struggled to trace him as he had turned off his mobile phone, rendering their search through CCTV footage from bus stations, railway stations, and the airport futile.

The breakthrough came when the techie, now in Noida, purchased a new SIM card and inserted it into his old phone, allowing the police to locate him.

Upon being confronted by plainclothes officers in Noida, the techie expressed his reluctance to return home, reportedly telling the police, "Put me in prison, I will live there… but I won’t return."

He eventually agreed to fly back to Bengaluru after officers explained that the missing person report filed by his wife could only be closed in her presence.

In his statement to the police, the techie alleged that he had been subjected to harassment and control by his wife.

He revealed that he was her second husband and that they had an eight-month-old daughter together. He described his wife's strict control over his daily life, including his clothing and behaviour, adding that she would reprimand him for minor incidents, such as spilling food.

Fearing further exposure after his wife posted his photos and videos online, the techie altered his appearance by shaving his head. He detailed his journey to the police, explaining how he had initially travelled to Tirupati by bus, then to Bhubaneswar by train, before finally reaching Delhi and Noida.

The techie was eventually sent back home, but the case has highlighted concerns over domestic issues and the extent to which individuals may go to escape them.