An 86-year-old German woman, Gisela Singh, widow of renowned Indian sculptor Shiv Singh, has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking protection from her upstairs neighbours. She has accused the couple living above her in the Mansa Devi Complex, Sector 6, Panchkula, of continuous harassment and disturbing behaviour.
The court has now summoned the accused neighbours, Sahil Garg and his wife Shailja Gupta, and asked them to appear in court on August 1. The case is being heard by a bench of Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal and Justice Deepak Manchanda.
Gisela Singh moved into her ground-floor home with her 50-year-old son in December 2023. She says that since moving in, the couple living on the second floor has made her life extremely difficult. In her petition, she described several incidents that have left her feeling unsafe, scared, and emotionally drained in her own home.
The elderly woman has been allowed by the court to attend the hearing via video call due to her age. The court has also asked for a response from the local police and the Panchkula administration.
In her complaint, Gisela said the neighbours have been carrying out illegal construction work on the shared rooftop, which is not allowed. She also alleged that they had diverted their bathroom sewage into rainwater pipes. This led to a constant foul smell on her property, making it uncomfortable to live there.
The situation has only worsened with time. According to her petition, the neighbours threw used children’s diapers into her verandah, splashed raw eggs on her car windshield, and blocked her gate by parking their vehicles right outside it. They allegedly even used her water supply to wash their cars without her permission.
She further said the couple had verbally abused her multiple times. These constant acts of harassment have made her afraid to step out of her house. She told the court that she does not feel safe walking outside, even during the day.
The harassment has not only affected her daily life but also disrupted her plans to honour her late husband’s memory. She had planned to open an art gallery in his name in the basement of her home. However, due to the neighbours’ actions and the fear she now lives with, she has not been able to begin work on it. As a result, the sculptures and artwork of her husband, Shiv Singh, have remained packed in boxes for over a year and a half.
Shiv Singh was a respected artist known for his sculptures, paintings, and design work. He was one of the founding members of the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi and the Loose Group of artists. He passed away in 2015.
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After her first appeal to the court, the police registered a case against the couple on April 23, under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The charges included wrongful restraint, mischief, criminal intimidation, and insulting the modesty of a woman. But according to Gisela, the situation did not get better even after the FIR was filed.
Frustrated by the lack of action by the police and local authorities, she returned to the court to seek justice. She once again highlighted the ongoing harassment and the emotional stress she continues to face.
The court has now taken note of her complaint and ordered the neighbours to be present in court. The matter will be further heard on August 1. The judges will also consider the replies from the police and administration to determine whether any further steps are needed to ensure the woman’s safety and peace of mind.
This case highlights the challenges elderly citizens sometimes face when dealing with uncooperative neighbours and shows how legal intervention becomes necessary when authorities fail to act.
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