Wife, three daughters rescued after seven years lock-up in Mumbai India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The wife and three daughters of a 60-year-old man who were, locked, beaten and starved for seven years were rescued from their home in Mumbai on Tuesday. Francis Gomes an unemployed man had confined his family since 2002. Gomes locked them up as he was convinced that his girls would be raped if they even stepped out of the home. Reports suggest that every morning before leaving his home Francis would lock the door, giving the impression that his family was away. The women were often denied food and fresh clothing. The windows were boarded, denying them sunlight. They were prohibited from watching television, so much so that when the youngest daughter failed her college exam, the father hit her so hard that she suffered severe neck injuries. A few months ago, Francis' second daughter used the help of an NGO to escape the clutches of her father. While social workers managed to rescue her, the other three women were just too scared to leave, fearing that Francis would successfully hunt them down. On, Tuesday, social workers belonging to the NGO Anand Rehabilitation Centre police rescued the three women, while Francis was away. Mumbai Police have arrested Gomes based on the information given by the locals. The girl, who suffered neck injuries, has been admitted to a government hospital. The wife and other two daughters are severely malnourished and traumatised are under psychological and medical care.