73-year-old locked up by brother for months

KOLKATA: A 73-year-old-man in a Kolkata suburb, locked up by his brother for eight months, has been rescued in an emaciated condition by the police.

Nirmal Naskar was confined to a crammed room without electricity by his brother Sukumar, a retired schoolteacher, at Bariupur in South 24 Parganas district near Kolkata.

Acting on a tip-off, the police Saturday raided the house and found the man in a terrible state, his mental balance partially lost. Sukumar and his wife Shipra were arrested.

Sukumar, a teacher in a high school, also runs a tutorial. Two other brothers of Sukumar had earlier committed suicide.

The milkmaid first spotted Nirmal's condition. She then informed people in the neighbourhood who called the police.

Neighbours allege that Sukumar locked his brother up to take over their ancestral property. Sukumar, however, said he had to confine his brother because he was mentally deranged.

In Baruipur area, the police recently rescued a woman who was chained for 15 years by her husband and in-laws.