An 18-year-old girl then who went missing a decade ago was reportedly residing just 500 meters from her parent’s home with her lover in Kerala. In a strange incident, Sajitha (now 29) spent the past decade living in a room with her lover Rehman in Ayalur village in Palakkad while her family gave up hopes of finding her.
According to the police, Sajitha eloped with Rehman a decade ago but since Rehman couldn’t afford to rent a house, the couple decided to stay at his house, without coming to anyone’s notice. They were found only after they had left Rehman’s house and started living in a rented house in a nearby village.
Nenmara Police Station House Officer Deepa Kumar said, “Their story sounds unusual, but we took the couple to Rehman’s house and they told us how Sajitha had lived secretly in a single room for all these years.”
Rehman made a hole in the wall for Sajitha to step out
The couple started living together in Rehman’s small room which was well guarded by him. Rehman lived with his parents, sister, and nephew but warned the family members against entering or going near his room.
Gradually, startled by his anger, his family started avoiding Rehman or venturing near the small room. Rehman skipped work often and spent most of the time inside the room. However, every time he stepped out, he would leave a packet of food for Sajitha.
Rehman’s elder brother Basheer informed that Rehman worked as a house painter and stayed locked in his room most of the time. “Sometimes he behaved like a mentally deranged person, would turn violent if someone tried to get into his room. He would even take his food in to eat… During the day, as everyone was at work, Rahman and Sajitha would have the house to themselves,” he said.
Rehman also created a small opening in the room through which Sajitha used to step out for a bath and sit outside for a while at night. Since most of the family members stepped out for work regularly, Sajitha remained unnoticed during the day.
While in the room, Sajitha kept herself entertained with a small TV, using earphones.
Sajitha during an interrogation informed police that she would come out of the room through a window and narrated every incident that happened in the house including marriage functions, visitors, and their interesting conversations during the last 11 years.
‘Hide-n-seek’ comes to an end
The 11-year ‘hide-n-seek’ ended in June after Rehman had gone missing in March this year. His family had filed a missing report, and as a police search was going on for him, he was spotted by his brother at a police checkpoint which was set up as part of Covid related lockdown. He then informed that he has been staying with Sajith at a rented house since he went missing.
As per reports, three months ago Sajitha finally left the house and on the very same day Rehman picked up a quarrel with his family members and stomped out. The couple then settled in a nearby village.
When taken to the police station for further inquiry, Rehman revealed that he was living with Sajitha at a rented house nearby. A further probe into the matter led to solving Sajitha’s disappearance 11 years ago.
The couple was produced in court when Rehman informed that he was afraid of his family objecting to Sajitha and hence kept her hidden for 11-years. However, the court allowed Sajitha to go with Rehman.
