Kanpur woman alleges triple talaq after 16 years, demands husband's arrest
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
A woman named Afreen in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has alleged that her husband pronounced triple talaq and forcibly evicted her from the family home after 16 years of marriage and two children, she said on 8 October 2026. The woman has further alleged physical abuse and claimed her husband was carrying on an extramarital affair with a woman living in the same neighbourhood.
What Afreen Alleges Happened
According to Afreen, she caught her husband in an affair on 7 July. She described an escalating confrontation in which relatives were called, and her husband openly declared his intention to divorce her and remain with the other woman. “It has happened multiple times. I have tried to explain and communicate many times; he didn’t agree. Even when I caught him that day, we got into a huge fight. All the relatives were called. When confronted, he said that ‘she is everything to me; I will divorce you. I will stay with her; I will marry her,’” Afreen said, quoting her husband.
She further alleged sustained domestic abuse over the course of her marriage. “He used to torment the children and me. He used to beat me up and did not provide for me. I was physically abused, but I persevered through it, thinking that it should not affect my family, my children,” she said.
The Triple Talaq Incident
Afreen alleged that at around 9:30 pm on 12 August, her husband pronounced triple talaq in the presence of their two sons — aged 13 and 15 — and subsequently threw her out of the house. “I have been married for 16 years, and I have two sons. One is 13; the other is 15. His husband’s family did not take any action and just asked me to wait and have patience. I did too, thinking my family would be torn apart,” she added.
Following the incident, Afreen lodged a complaint at Chaman Ganj police station. However, she alleged that her initial complaints were not registered promptly, and the First Information Report (FIR) was only filed in October, weeks after the alleged triple talaq.
FIR Registered, Probe Underway
Police have since registered an FIR under provisions related to dowry harassment, assault, an illicit relationship, and the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, the legislation that criminalises instant triple talaq in India.
Kanpur Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Atul Srivastava confirmed the development, stating: “An FIR has been registered in the Chamanganj police station against the accused. Investigations are ongoing in the matter.” When asked about the delay in registering the complaint, he said mediation was initially being attempted. After the triple talaq allegation came to light, an FIR was registered immediately, he added.
Victim’s Demand
Afreen has appealed to authorities to arrest her husband at the earliest. This case comes amid continuing scrutiny of law enforcement response times in triple talaq matters, with activists noting that delays in registering FIRs can leave victims in legal limbo. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 makes the practice of instant triple talaq a cognisable and non-bailable offence, carrying a prison term of up to three years. Investigations in the Kanpur case are reportedly ongoing.