‘Missing’ husband, in-laws booked for abetment after woman dies by suicide in Ludhiana

It has been alleged that the 42-year-old victim’s death had been staged to look like a suicide by her in-laws who live in Ludhiana; her husband had been missing for four months and her in-laws, who had been allegedly harassing her for dowry, had registered a case of abuse against her

A man who has been missing for four months and his parents were booked for abetment after his wife allegedly hung herself from the ceiling fan in Rishi Nagar on Monday.

The victim had returned to her maternal home in Phagwara with her daughters, but her in-laws took them back to Ludhiana on September 2. Later, she committed suicide. It has been alleged that her husband was not actually missing, but in hiding. (Representative Image/HT File)

The victim’s father has alleged that his daughter’s in-laws had killed his daughter and staged her death to look like a suicide. He also said that her husband, who had been reported missing four months ago, had been hiding to harass his daughter.

The 42-year-old victim, who is survived by two daughters, had married the accused in 2006. The victim’s father also alleged that soon after their marriage, the victim’s husband and in-laws had started harassing her for dowry and that he had even bought a ₹12 lakh plot for them.

After the victim’s husband went missing in May, her in-laws had filed a complaint against her, alleging that she had beaten them up. The victim had returned to her maternal home in Phagwara with her daughters, but her in-laws took them back to Ludhiana on September 2.

Assistant sub-inspector Gian Singh, who is investigating the case, said a case had ben registered under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code.

A few major suicide prevention helpline numbers in India are 011-23389090 from Sumaitri (Delhi-based) and 044-24640050 from Sneha Foundation (Chennai-based).