Woman held against her will, beaten, by man and his parents, sheriff says

Deputies burst into a Hillsborough County home Saturday after they heard a woman, who was being held there and beaten, scream for help, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident began around 6:30 a.m. Saturday, when deputies went to 9601 Greenbank Drive in Riverview for a welfare check after receiving a call that a 33-year-old woman called her parents, who live in India, and told them she was being beaten and held by a man who she was familiar with and his parents, officials said.

Deputies were told the woman may be scared to speak with them because of cultural traditions, according to the sheriff’s office.

At the Riverview home, deputies determined there were people inside but no one came to the door when they knocked. A deputy continued to knock when the woman suddenly tried to open the door and screamed for help for her and her child, according to the sheriff’s office.

That’s when the deputy forced open the door, while Devbir Kalsi tried to push the door shut. After forcing his way inside, the deputy arrested Kalsi, 33, according to the sheriff’s office.

Kalsi’s parents, Jasbir Kalsi, 67, and Bhupinder Kalsi, 61, confronted the deputy but were also later arrested.

The woman was found “badly beaten and bruised over her entire body” with substantive evidence” that she had been beaten over an “extended period of time,” according to the release. Her 1-year-old daughter was found and appeared unharmed.

Investigators determined that Kalsi reached out to his parents “regarding (the woman)being disobedient.” His parents came from India to “ help counsel and discipline her,” officials said.

Kalsi’s parents, investigators found, held the woman and her child against their will, held a knife to the woman’s throat and took her phone.

The sheriff’s office determined all those involved in the incident were from India. The Florida Abuse Hotline and ICE were notified of the incident.

Devbir Kalsi is charged with false imprisonment, felony battery, child abuse and denying access to 911. Jasbir Kalsi, of Punjab, India, is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, child abuse and denying access to 911. Bhupinder Kalsi, also of Punjab, is charged with battery domestic violence and failure to report child abuse.

All three are being held in the Hillsborough County Jail.

The woman and her child have been provided a safe place to stay.

The investigation is ongoing.

This story was originally published September 2, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Woman held against her will, beaten, by man and his parents, sheriff says."