A Chhattisgarh woman named Lisa lived a traumatic childhood, while other children were playing, learning, and growing, she spent 20 long years locked inside a dark room. Now at 26, she can barely see light, respond to her name, or understand the world around her.

Lisa comes from Bakawand, a village in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district. Her childhood changed completely when she was just six years old. In the year 2000, a man from her village threatened to kill her. The threat scared her so much that she stopped talking and going to school. She had already lost her mother, and her father, a simple farmer, was too afraid and helpless to protect her properly.

Out of fear and confusion, her father made a terrible decision. He locked her inside their mud house, believing that keeping her away from people would keep her safe. The room had no windows. No sunlight. No fresh air. No one to talk to. Every day, her father would leave a plate of food at the door, and that was the only interaction she had with the world.

What he thought would save her ended up destroying her entire childhood. In 2025, officials from the Social Welfare Department finally discovered her. When they entered the dark hut, they found Lisa in a heartbreaking condition. She could not stand properly, could not recognise her own name, and was terrified of any human touch or sound. Doctors said her eyesight is severely damaged because she lived without sunlight for so many years. Her mental development is also affected, and she behaves like a small child.

She was immediately taken to a hospital in Jagdalpur for treatment. The authorities have started an inquiry to find out why she was locked up for 20 years and whether any law was broken. They are questioning her family and neighbours to understand how no one intervened.

Lisa is now staying at Gharaunda Ashram, where caregivers, counsellors, and doctors are helping her slowly adjust to normal life. Here, she is learning to eat, bathe, and respond to people again. Caretakers say she is still scared of people, but she is improving little by little.

Officials also revealed that Lisa’s brother and sister-in-law lived next door but did not take care of her. Her father recently told authorities that he was too old to manage her and asked them to help.

Despite everything she has lost, her childhood, her eyesight, and years of her life, Lisa now has a chance to heal. Doctors say her vision may never return, but with care and patience, she can still recover emotionally and mentally. Her story is a reminder that even the deepest pain can be softened with support and compassion. Lisa’s future can be better than her past if society stands by her now.