Gurugram: Woman confined herself, son for 3 years fearing COVID-19
A woman and her 10-year-old son were rescued on Tuesday after three years of self-imposed confinement following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A team of police, health, and child welfare department officials had to break open the door of the house in Gurugram's Maruti Kunj. Police stated that the woman, Munmun Majhi, didn't even let her husband into the house during the period.
Why does this story matter?
People faced a difficult time in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic when the virus was fairly new. Panic spread as the number of cases increased, and many became overly concerned about taking precautions. Lockdown-induced anxieties additionally brought about significant behavioral changes in people. There were several reports of hypochondriac reactions during the period, but they subsided with the return to normalcy.
Woman threatened to kill son, self when approached earlier
The team of officials, accompanied by an NGO, approached Munmun on Monday and tried to coax her into coming out, but in vain. They had to retreat after she became aggressive, threatening to kill her son and then committing suicide. They returned on Tuesday, and after counseling her for a couple of hours, they broke open the door.
Father cried on embracing son after 3 years
Sujan, the father, couldn't hold back his tears after getting to touch his son after three years. The officials assured Munmum that nothing would happen to her and her son as they would take care of their health and told her that the number of COVID-19 cases was very low. The duo was hospitalized for a check-up and psychiatrists were evaluating them.
Sujan rented another house in same locality
The woman's husband, Sujan Majhi is an engineer employed with a private company. After the first lockdown in 2020 was relaxed, he was called back to the office. Fearing outside contact, Munmun restricted Sujan from entering the home. He spent the first few days with relatives and friends but after failing to persuade her, he rented a house in the same locality.
Munmun promised to come out after vaccines for kids
Mumnum had vowed to step out only after the roll-out of vaccines for kids. Currently, there is no vaccine for children aged below 12. After failing to convince her, Sujan approached the police, but cops believed it to be a family matter. Last week, Sujan met Assistant Sub-Inspector Praveen Kumar, who video-called the woman and son. Following this, the police contacted the health department.
