An Indian man’s parents traveled from India to help him “discipline” his wife, and now all three are in jail facing felony charges for domestic abuse and related crimes.
As the Tampa Bay Times reported , Indian national Devbir Kalsi, 33, believed his wife, 33-year-old Silky Gaind, was being “disobedient.” It is not clear how long the alleged domestic violence had been going on in their relationship, but it appears that Kalsi was so frustrated with his wife’s “disobedience” that he flew his parents in from India to “counsel and discipline” her.
Authorities say that on Friday, the family began a “counseling” session, during which Kalsi allegedly struck the woman “repeatedly and forcefully,” causing severe bruising about her face, abdomen and torso. When Silky tried to defend herself, Devbir’s father, Jasbir Kalsi, 67, allegedly began beating her. When she tried to get away, say authorities, Jasbir threatened her with a knife.
During the melee, Gaind was attempting to hold on to the couple’s young child. He or she was inadvertently hit in the face before being put in a separate room.
Devbir allegedly then dragged Silky to another room after taking her phone, and then his parents, including his mother, 61-year-old Jasbir Kalsi, allegedly locked her inside.
Bhupinder Kalsi is up now pictured on right pic.twitter.com/Qk5FA92mXS
— Amanda Ciavarri (@WFLAAmanda) September 3, 2017
On Saturday morning, police were called to the home to do a welfare check. An officer knocked on the door repeatedly, but no one answered, even though deputies confirmed that there were people inside the house. However, at some point Gaind was able to make it to the door; she attempted to open it and screamed for help. As an officer was forcing his or her way in, the elder Kalsis allegedly attempted to interfere.
All three were taken to jail and charged with various felonies. Devbir and Jasbir Kalsi both face charges of false imprisonment, child abuse and denying access to 911; Devbir Kalsi faces an additional charge of felony battery; Jasbir Kalsi faces an additional charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon; and Bhupinder Kalsi faces charges of battery, domestic violence, and failure to report child abuse.
The woman and her child have been moved to a “safe place,” authorities say.
According to a 2015 The Age report, domestic violence is ingrained in some Indian communities, often due to millenia-old social and gender roles.
The problem is especially troublesome in the West, where Indian immigrants – especially victimized women – do not always know of the help that is available to them.
[Featured Image by KatarzynaBialasiewicz/Thinkstock]
