“She ate watermelon rinds to survive”: Details emerge about the woman held captive in a barn

It was previously reported that a woman and her child were being held in a barn in the Uzun district of Surkhandarya region. A man and his relatives had forcibly kept the mother and infant in unsanitary conditions for several months. Journalists from the Kun publication visited the scene and uncovered details of the incident.

According to Mohira Ernazarova, an activist from the “Obizarang” mahalla, when she and the inspector arrived at the house on August 26th, they noticed children’s items, although no one in the mahalla knew about a child being born. After much persuasion, the homeowners opened the door. In the courtyard, a shed with a door wrapped in wire caught their attention. Inside, they discovered an emaciated, beaten, and naked Gulnora Khalikova, with her daughter nearby. The woman was in critical condition with multiple injuries.

The homeowner denied the violence and stated that the victim remained “on her own accord, as she had nowhere to go”. However, witnesses reported that Ashur Shamsiyev had beaten Gulnora Khalikova in the shed, including hitting her on the head with a heavy object.

The woman entered the house in her sixth month of pregnancy, was forced to give birth at home, had a child, and was subjected to violence. Two days after giving birth, the baby was taken from her, and she was beaten and starved.

To survive, I had to eat watermelon rinds and animal feed, — Gulnora Khalikova recounted.

As a reminder, according to law enforcement, Shamsiyev conspired with relatives and kept his Gulnora and child in the barn. The woman and the infant were in unsanitary conditions and subjected to violence.

Currently, the mother and child are in hospital: the woman is in the surgical department, while the infant is in the maternity ward. Their condition is closely monitored by doctors and social services agencies.

The investigation revealed that Shamsiyev and his relatives had been pressuring the woman for several months, exploiting her vulnerable mental state and speech impairment. A criminal case has been opened against the suspect and three other individuals. All of them are in custody.

The investigation has been placed under special supervision by the Surkhandarya Regional Department of Internal Affairs, and forensic medical examinations have been ordered.