E-Paper
3 days after Malerkotla man’s death, Ludhiana cops book wife, in-laws
The victim’s father had said that his son had gone to his in-laws’ house in Ludhiana’s Haibowal on August 19 and ended his life the very next day by consuming poison
Three days after the death of a 25-year-old Malerkotla resident, police have booked his wife and in-laws for abetment to suicide.
The victim had died at the house of his in-laws on Friday. However, before ending his life, he had called one of his friends alleging that he was being harassed by his wife and in-laws.
The Haibowal police have lodged an FIR against his wife, father-in-law and mother-in-law. Earlier, the police had initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The man had married the accused in March.
In his complaint, the victim’s father had said that his son had gone to his in-laws’ house in Netaji Nagar of Haibowal on August 19 and ended his life the very next day by consuming poison. “Initially, I was baffled as to why he had chosen to end his life and therefore did not lodge a complaint. However, on August 22, one of his friends told me that my son had called him saying that his in-laws were trying to sell the jewellery that had been gifted during the wedding. When my son objected, they humiliated and threatened him.”
The victim had also said that he was considering ending his life. The victim’s friend had recorded the conversation.
The complainant said that his daughter-in-law had cleared the International English Language Testing System (IELTS, an international standardised test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers) and wanted to go abroad. “ We spent around ₹30 lakh to send her to Canada. She was supposed to call her husband to Canada after reaching there.”
Assistant sub-inspector Narinder Singh, who is investigating the case, said a case had been lodged under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code against the accused. A hunt is on for their arrest.
A few major suicide prevention helpline numbers in India are 011-23389090 from Sumaitri (Delhi-based) and 044-24640050 from Sneha Foundation (Chennai-based).
