Ludhiana MC staff arrested for battering pregnant wife to death

Victim’s family says her husband was a habitual drunkard who often assaulted Pushpa whenever she told him to stop drinking

A contractual municipal corporation staff has been arrested on charges of battering his eight-month pregnant wife to death in Raja Colony, Daba area, on Tuesday, police said. The accused, Vijay Kumar, 40, reportedly tried to pass off the crime as a natural death, claiming that the woman suffered from a medical condition.

The accused has been booked for murder. (HT File)

The incident marks the fourth fatal matrimonial dispute reported in the city in just three days.

According to the victim’s family, Vijay was a habitual drunkard who frequently assaulted Pushpa Devi, 38, whenever she urged him to stop drinking. Pushpa and Vijay had been married for four years and she was eight months pregnant at the time of her death. The couple had a two-year-old son together, while Pushpa’s two children from her first marriage lived with her parents.

Police said Vijay initially informed Pushpa’s family that she had died a natural death, citing epileptic fits. However, visible injuries and bruises on her body raised suspicion, prompting her relatives to register a complaint. Pushpa’s brother, Ajay, a resident of Kurukshetra, registered a murder case against Vijay, following which he was arrested on Tuesday.

ACP (Industrial Area-B) Satwinder Singh Virk said Vijay allegedly assaulted Pushpa on Tuesday after consuming alcohol. “During the attack, Vijay sustained a nose injury. Pushpa may have tried to defend herself, but being heavily pregnant, she was unable to escape the assault,” he added.

“After Pushpa died, the accused tried to mislead the family by claiming she passed away due to a medical condition,” ACP Virk said. “But the injuries on her body told a different story. Based on the family’s statements and the circumstances, a murder case has been registered.”

“Vijay has been arrested and the exact cause of death will be confirmed after the postmortem report is received,” he added.

Recent cases of matrimonial disputes

A woman in Haibowal was reportedly stabbed to death by her husband over a dispute about not bearing a child.

A 24-year-old woman from the Meharban area died during treatment after allegedly being forced to consume poison and assaulted by her husband and in-laws.

In another case from Mundian Kalan, a man allegedly opened fire at his in-laws’ house, killing his mother-in-law over a domestic dispute.