Lockdown violence: Man thrashes wife as he loses virtual game

Persuading her husband to play Ludo with her so as to keep him indoors during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown, left a resident of Vadodara in Gujarat with a spinal injury, as she was allegedly thrashed by him each time he lost, an official said on Tuesday.

The incident came to light last weekend when the woman, a resident of Vemali locality, called up Abhyam helpline for victims of domestic violence stating that she was severely assaulted by her husband, the official said.

The victim had asked her husband to play Ludo with her on a mobile phone in a bid to keep him indoors, he said.

However, the plan backfired when the man started thrashing his wife every time he lost a game to her, forcing her to consult a doctor for spine injuries, the official said.

"The woman sustained injuries to her spine and had to go to a doctor. Once she got back, she immediately called up the Abhyam helpline number 181. Our staff counselled the couple and asked the woman if she needed any protection, which she refused," said Chandrakant Makwana, Project Coordinator, Abhyam.