Sujata Kumar shows her daughter’s picture at the janata darbar in Patna on Monday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, Feb. 14: Sujata Kumari (40) came to chief minister Nitish Kumar’s janata darbar at 1 Aney Marg today to complain that her in-laws were torturing her and preventing her from completing her education.

Nitish listened to her grievance and forwarded her to social welfare department minister Parveen Amanullah, who was sitting just opposite to him. Sujata broke down in front of Amanullah. She calmed down and expressed her anguish only after social welfare department principle secretary N. Vijaya Laxmi consoled her.

“My in-laws are torturing me. They have taken over my house on Exhibition Road. My father gave the house — now worth Rs 40 lakh — to me, when I got married 18 years ago. My husband Manoj Verma does not support me. He has tried to send me to the asylum in Ranchi a number of times,” said Sujata, between sobs.

She added: “After the death of my father, Shyam Babu, five years ago, my husband started assaulting me. When I got married my family was told that my husband is a doctor. But later I realised he does not have a medical degree. He just owns a small clinic in Meethapur.”

Sujata said: “I have three children — one daughter and two sons. But my in-laws do not allow me to meet them. Four months ago, they informed me that my daughter had died. They also performed the funeral without informing me. Before that I was told that she had been sent to an orphanage in Pune. But they refuse to tell me the address of the orphanage. I do not know what to believe.”

She added: “I was studying English in Patna University. But I had to abandon my studies because my in-laws pressurised me. I want to compete my studies and get a job. But I have no one to support me except my father’s friend. He does not have the resources to help me complete my education.”

Amanullah told The Telegraph: “Our department will send a legal notice to Sujata’s in-laws. We will also direct the police to conduct an enquiry.”