Daughters Locked in Room while Parents Leave Town
Patna: May 23, 2008
 In a shocking case of human rights violation that came into light on Friday, the police in Patna freed two girls aged 18 and 12 who had been locked in a room by her father, a government official, and their stepmother without food or water for three days.
As reported, some people in Khajpura area under Airport police station informed the authorities that two girls were locked in a room and were screaming for help.
The police soon arrived at the house and after breaking open the door, 18-year old Safia and 12-year old Kulsum were recovered in a state of dehydration and utterly pale due to hunger.
The girls told the officials that her father, Aftar Alam, a man with speech impediment and a fourth grade employee at the District Magistrate's office, after divorcing their mother, married another woman and had two more children from her. Last January, her father brought the girls to live with him and his new wife in Patna. However, the stepmother, living up to the fabled evil image of stepmothers, denied them basic things and often locked them in a small room before going out for shopping or anything else.
Three days ago, the stepmother left for her father's house while Alam left for his native village in Samastipur district leaving the girls locked in their room.
The police have recorded the statements of the two girls and are expected to file charges against the father and stepmother upon their return, officials said.
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