Man Locks Wife's Private Parts In Pune, What Is Fuelling Men In India To Subject Women To Such Brutal Acts?

In a shocking incident, 30-year-old Upendra Hudake committed a heinous crime against his wife by locking her private parts, accusing her of infidelity in Pune. According to NDTV, Hudake, a Nepali national, was arrested by the Wakad Police in Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune for this brutal act.

The incident happened on May 11 when Hudake came home drunk and began assaulting his wife after accusing her of cheating on him, allegations she denied. He continued beating and kicking her. He even threatened her with a knife. Hudake then tied her to the floor, cut holes in her private parts with a sharp blade, inserted iron screws, and secured a brass lock on them. His 28-year-old wife kept bleeding profusely, shouting for help and he threw away the key. Lalit Parihar, a migrant labourer, and neighbour, heard the distressing noises from the house and rushed over where he found the woman severely injured. (source: NDTV)

The woman was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery to remove the iron screws and lock. Five days later, she filed a complaint against her husband at the Wakad Police Station.

The couple had recently arrived in Pune from Nepal seeking employment and were staying at the accused’s sister's home near Wakad. This brutal act brings us to ask once again: Why? Why are women subjected to such vicious acts and what drives men to such extreme cruelty?

“This is a most heinous example of domestic violence as well as sexual abuse that highlights the severe legal and societal issues in India. This horrific act, allegedly driven by absolutely unfounded suspicions of infidelity, constitutes several severe criminal offenses under Indian law, including assault, domestic violence, as well as sexual violence. Legally, the perpetrator could be charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), such as S. 307 for attempted murder, S. 326 for causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons, as well as relevant sections under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act,” Siddharth Chandrashekhar, our legal expert, Advocate and Legal Counsel, Bombay High Court shared his stance on the case.

“This, as well as several other recent shocking incidents, highlights the urgent need for stronger enforcement of existing laws, better protection mechanisms for victims of domestic abuse, and widespread societal change to address and reduce the fundamental causes of such violence,” he added.

Figuring Out The WHYs

This is yet another tragic incident from a corner of India where a woman was victimised by her husband. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2022, 51 FIRs were filed every hour in the country for crimes against women. Despite the ongoing debates about women's safety and equality across the country, the number of crimes against women only continues to rise, each case seemingly more brutal than the last.

From a woman's body being chopped into pieces over gold ornaments, to a woman being strangled by her partner for refusing to undergo an abortion, to a woman being brutally killed and her remains boiled and processed in the kitchen (Shraddha Walker Case), the level of cruelty in these acts of violence leaves you flustered. These extreme cases leave us questioning why this happens.

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Is it the deep-seated patriarchal norms that perpetuate the idea that men have ownership over women, leading to such acts of control? Or is it the problematic societal structures that make men feel entitled to exert power and control through violence? or maybe, it is the men who are taking cultural notions of masculinity too seriously and equating their strength with aggression and control. All these questions highlight the dire need to address the root causes of such brutal acts and work towards a society where women are safe and treated as equals.

All these burning questions scream for us to dig deep into the roots of such cruel acts. But it's a tough nut to crack! We inhabit a country where perpetrators roam free, slipping through the cracks of our legal system, while women pass through the societal stigma and are shamed at every turn, thanks to the pervasive culture of victim blaming.

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Being a woman in India remains a constant struggle. We're not safe outside our homes and face barbarity even within our walls. The notion that we can ever lead dignified lives here feels more like a fairy tale than reality.