Horrifying video shows domestic violence by ex-Hyderabad HC judge

Hyderabad, Sep 21: In a shocking video, released shows a woman being manhandled by her in-laws. The victim is the daughter-in-law of a former Hyderabad High Court Judge who's now alleging domestic violence against her in-laws. The video shows a woman being attacked by a man and an elderly couple. The man hits her, holds her by the collar, she's pushed on to the couch and later dragged on the floor. Amid this commotion, two toddlers try desperately to rescue their mother.

These horrifying visuals are part of a CCTV video grab, which 30-year old Sindhu Sharma put out on late Thursday as proof in the on-going dowry harassment case.

Sindhu Sharma's father-in-law is a retired high court judge. Sharma's in-laws have denied the charges against them.

Impassive, black-and-white footage, the disturbing events unfold inside a living room just like any other.

In the video, it is seen that a woman is seemingly manhandled inside her home, dragged off the bed on to the floor and her child, barely old enough to walk straight, her two toddlers around trying to protect her.

The three apparent aggressors are her husband, mother-in-law and her father-in-law.

Sharma who married Nooty Vashisht, the son of a then judge Nooty Ramamohana Rao and his wife Nooty Durga Jayalakshmi. She has filed a case of domestic violence and harassment for dowry against the in-laws.

The incident became public in April when Sharma was admitted to Hyderabad's Apollo Hospital and a case was filed. She named her husband and in-laws, saying she was being subjected to cruelty and torture by them. The shocking CCTV video, that has only emerged now, has provoked outrage.

After the incident, Sharma sought custody of her two children, both girls, aged about 4 and 2. The younger one was still breastfeeding was handed over to the mother on the intervention of activist Achyutha Rao and others. The HC had to intervene to force the in-laws to hand over the elder girl as well.

Both of them were witness to the assaults on their mother and are seen in the CCTV footage. "They did not want to give the elder daughter as they were worried she would tell what was going on with me," Sharma said.

Sharma said the trouble had started shortly after their marriage in 2012. Her mother-in-law would humiliate her and subject her to physical and mental torture, she alleged.

Nooty Ramamohana Rao served at the Hyderabad and Madras High Courts. While he and his family declined to comment on the allegations, they have countered Sharma's account in an affidavit filed in court.

According to them, on the night of the altercation, Sharma had attempted to kill herself, the second such attempt in six weeks. That is why they pulled and tried to restrain her, they said.

Sources close to the family said Sharma was deliberately screaming for help while hiding a bottle of pesticide or poison in her dress. The family was very worried she would do something to herself and to the two small children, as she had attempted on March 8, sources said.

However, Sindhu said there hasn't been any progress in the dowry harassment case. Her parents also allege that the retired judge could be influencing top officers handling the case.