Man held for dowry death after wife found dead in Shahbad Dairy

The 26-year-old victim’s family has alleged that she had been a victim of domestic violence for over two years

A 25-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday on charges of dowry death, a day after his wife was found dead at their residence in Shahbad Dairy. The victim had allegedly died by suicide but the family have alleged the foul play.

Photo for representation (HT_PRINT)

The 26-year-old victim’s family has alleged that she had been a victim of domestic violence for over two years. They alleged she was also forced to have an abortion a few months ago.

On Monday morning, around 2:30 am, police said that the husband informed the victim’s father that she had died by suicide. “The victim’s father and brother rushed to ESIC Hospital, Sector-15, Rohini, where doctors declared [the victim] dead on arrival,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer north) Hareshwar Swami said, adding that the father’s statement was recorded before the sub-divisional magistrate.

Swami further said that, according to the victim’s father, 53, “His daughter was harassed by her husband, mother-in-law, and father-in-law. The in-laws allegedly demanded money to purchase a motorcycle and later asked for a TV and jewellery.”

When the family refused to pay and give gifts, she was allegedly abused, beaten, and repeatedly harassed. She was even sent back to her parental home multiple times, police said.

The family said they suspect foul play in the victim’s death. “They didn’t take my sister to the hospital when she allegedly hanged herself. They kept waiting for my mother and brother to reach. There was also blood on her tee-shirt. We believe she has been murdered after which they staged to make it look like a suicide,” the sister said.

A case under section 80 (dowry death), 85 (cruelty by a husband or his relatives towards a woman), and 3(5) (joint or constructive liability) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered and the accused has been arrested.

According to the victim’s sister, 24, the couple had met a few years ago when the woman was in college and the accused used to visit the residential colony where his uncle lived. The two fell in love and wanted to get married but his parents refused the “love marriage”.

“After [the accused’s] parents refused, my sister got married to another man in 2022 but [the accused] didn’t stop bothering her. He convinced her to leave her husband and be with him. He even came to our house and assured us that he will marry her and keep her happy,” the sister said.

The victim separated from her husband two months after their marriage and married the accused in June 2023.

A few months after the marriage, the accused’s parents started harassing the victim, demanding dowry, the sister said. “They used to beat her and say that if [the accused] had married someone else, she would have got a four-wheeler and jewellery [with her] but since my sister was poor and she didn’t bring anything.”

The sister added that once the victim got pregnant a few months after the wedding, the accused’s parents asked the couple to move out of the house and the two started living separately. The victim later gave birth to a girl who is now a year old.

“Two-three months ago, she found out that she was pregnant. The family forced her to abort the child saying that they can’t afford the child,” the victim’s sister alleged, adding that her sister often secretly recorded videos when she was being abused or harassed.