A 27-year-old woman allegedly subjected to harassment by her husband and in-laws over money and other issues died by suicide within six months of marriage in Nashik city, police said on Thursday. Her husband and his four family members have been arrested in the case, news agency PTI reported.
The incident took place on Wednesday afternoon in the Panchavati area. The victim, who got married in June, reportedly faced consistent mental and physical abuse from her husband, mother-in-law, and three sisters-in-law, police said.
Fed up with the harassment, the woman took the extreme step at her husband’s residence, PTI reported. She wrote a suicide note, photographed it, and sent it to her brother via WhatsApp, a police officer informed.
In the note, the woman alleged that her husband had an affair prior to their marriage and had even shown her photographs of it. She claimed her in-laws constantly harassed her and that her husband questioned her character. The note also mentioned that the family had forced her to undergo a virginity test.
Her brother rushed to the house on receiving the message and found her unconscious. She was taken to a private hospital but succumbed to her injuries during treatment, PTI reported.
Following her death, her relatives gathered outside Panchavati Police Station, demanding justice and strict action against those responsible. The police have since arrested her husband and his four family members.
Krishna Chandgude of the Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti, an organisation promoting scientific outlook and fighting superstition, urged the state government to probe the allegation of the virginity test.
Palghar couple found hanging in suspected suicide pact
A 35-year-old man and his partner from Maharashtra’s Palghar District were found dead in a suspected suicide pact after their families reportedly opposed their relationship, police said on Thursday.
The bodies of the man and his 24-year-old partner were in Sarshi Village of Vikramgad Taluka on Tuesday, a day after they left home under false pretences, the authorities added.
The man was already married and had two children. His relatives and villagers opposed his relationship with his partner, police said, adding that the pressure reportedly led them into depression.
Villagers discovered the two bodies on Tuesday. Preliminary investigations suggest it was a suicide pact, Assistant Police Inspector Ajit Gole said.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem, and a case of accidental death has been registered, police added.
Need help, here are suicide prevention helplines-
Samaritans Mumbai (Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm): 84229-84527
Connecting NGO (From 10 am to 8 pm): 9922004305/9922001122
Snehi (From 10 am to 10 pm): 9376804102
1 Life: 7893078930
Aasra: 9820466726
(With PTI inputs)