No autopsy till accused’s arrest:Ludhiana suicide victim’s family to police

The woman died on November 2, following an incident in which a man allegedly stalking her and his associates reportedly opened fire outside her house. Her body is lying in the mortuary as the family remains firm on its demand for the arrest of all those involved

The police and the family of a 22-year-old woman who died by suicide after a firing incident outside her house in Harcharan Nagar are at loggerheads, with the family refusing to give consent for the post-mortem examination and announcing that they will not cremate her body until the accused are arrested.

Woman’s family alleged that harassment and pressure had left her distressed. (HT File)

The woman died on November 2, following an incident in which a man allegedly stalking her and his associates reportedly opened fire outside her house. Her body is lying in the mortuary as the family remains firm on its demand for the arrest of all those involved.

Inspector Gurjit Singh, SHO of the Division number 3 police station, confirmed that the autopsy had not been conducted as the family had not given consent. He said the accused were absconding and several police teams had been formed to trace and arrest them.

The SHO also said the key accused, Divanshu Bagga, had been posting videos on social media, but no complaint regarding the videos had been received by the police. The police had booked Bagga, a Haibowal resident, along with his mother and brother in connection with the firing incident and the woman’s death. The case has since seen the addition of further sections, as two sharply conflicting accounts of the events emerged.

Bagga had initially alleged that the woman’s family members and their associates attacked his Mahindra Thar with bricks and fired more than 15 rounds at it on Sunday night. However, after the woman’s death, her family accused him and his associates of barging into their house, abusing and threatening them, and opening fire with an illegal weapon.

According to the family’s complaint, Bagga had been pressuring the woman to marry him despite repeated refusals from her relatives. They alleged that the harassment and pressure had left her distressed.

In his statement to the police, the woman’s brother alleged that Bagga and his associates barged into their house on November 2, hurled abuses and threatened the family. While leaving, Bagga allegedly fired shots from an illegal firearm before fleeing in his Mahindra Thar.

Rohan alleged that the incident left his sister deeply upset and that she died by suicide around 11.30 am. He said the family had decided not to perform her last rites until all the accused were arrested.

Bagga, however, had offered a different version. He claimed that the woman had called him outside her house on Monday night, which was his birthday. He alleged that her family members and their associates intercepted his vehicle, pelted it with bricks and fired more than 15 rounds. Though his SUV was damaged, he claimed he managed to escape.