Following the death of a 38-year-old woman under suspicious circumstances, her parents, siblings, relatives and villagers stormed the house of her in-laws in Sai Sardari village of the RS Pura sector in Jammu district, uprooted doors and windows, made a pyre out of them and cremated her body there on Monday.
Though a strong police contingent tried to persuade the angry villagers, they did not yield. The deceased was identified as Sushma Devi, who is survived by her husband, a son and a daughter.
The body was found hanging in a room of her in-laws’ house on Sunday. The protesters alleged that the woman had been strangled to death and her body subsequently hung to make it look like a suicide.
Family alleges dowry demands, consistent harassment
All attempts by the police to prevent the people from cremating the deceased at the house went in vain. A clash also broke out between the police and protesters, in which a sub-inspector, Abhinav, and an ASI, Yashpal, were reportedly injured. Five protesters were also detained.
{{/usCountry}}All attempts by the police to prevent the people from cremating the deceased at the house went in vain. A clash also broke out between the police and protesters, in which a sub-inspector, Abhinav, and an ASI, Yashpal, were reportedly injured. Five protesters were also detained.
{{/usCountry}}Balbir Kaur and Raghubir Singh, former sarpanches of Sai Maula village, alleged that Sushma Devi had been subjected to continuous harassment since her marriage and that demands for dowry had also been made.
Before the cremation, the deceased was taken to Government Medical College, Jammu, where a team of doctors conducted the post-mortem examination. The body was then brought back to Sai Sardari village, following which the family performed the last rites at her in-laws’ house. The post-mortem report is awaited and further action will be taken accordingly, police officials said.