Days after a bizarre story came out of Palakkad about a man - Rahman - hiding a woman he was in a relationship with in one room for 10 years without anyone in his family knowing, his parents have accused him of lying. Sajitha, who was apparently living in one room in Rahman’s house for a decade, says she did so without anyone in his family knowing. The couple had told their story to reporters, after moving into a house of their own in March this year. However, Rahman’s parents are now countering their son’s claims.
Rahman had told the media on June 8, when the story first came to light, that Sajitha would go out of the window in the room only at night to go to the toilet. If she was sick, he would get her medicines, the couple said. Sajitha backed this story, stating that Rahman took care of her, and she would just walk around in the room, watch TV using a headset, and only go out of the window for walks at night. Rahman’s parents - Mohammed Karim and Aathika - have accused their son of lying, and pointed to holes in his story.
The parents point out to TNM that the bars on the window through which Sajitha supposedly went outside to relieve herself or take walks were removed just three months ago, countering the possibility of a person going out of it for the last many years. “We didn’t hear any sound, how is that possible,” they asked. However, the parents did admit to Media One channel that they had entered the room only once, when there was some repair work on the tiled roof three years ago. But they questioned how it was possible that Sajitha went unnoticed. Rahman had claimed that he kept a wooden board and she hid underneath it
They also say that the small house has no ceiling and has only a tiled roof. The walls of the room do not touch the tiled roof of the house, and therefore would allow the sound from one room to carry to the other. They say that they heard no one else in the room all these years except for times when they heard Rahman crying loudly.
The parents also say that apart from them, the house was inhabited by Rahman’s sister, her daughter, and Rahman.
Meanwhile, Women’s Commission Chairperson, MC Josephine told TNM that they would be visiting the couple after the lockdown and many elements of their story were worrying.
"There are some mysteries in the case. We have asked for a report from the Nenmara police station. I view it sceptically that someone has not stepped out for ten years. The family members of the man should be quizzed. There's also a criminal element in locking down a woman using a lock like this,” MC Josephine pointed out. Josephine is talking about a contraption that Rahman had fixed on the door, which ensured the door locked using a remote and could not be opened from outside.
“It's also suspicious that she hasn't had an illness in ten years. It's unbelievable that such a love exists which requires to lock a woman inside a room for ten years. The Commission is planning to visit her once the lockdown is over. The police decision that allowed them to live together is fair, but the mystery of ten years needs to be unravelled," she added.
Watch TNM interview of the couple: