Man arrested for abetment after woman dies by suicide in Sion

A 46-year-old woman died by suicide in Mumbai after being blackmailed by a man she befriended. The accused has been arrested for abetment.

MUMBAI: A 46-year-old woman from Sion’s Pratiksha Nagar allegedly died by suicide after being subjected to repeated blackmail and harassment by a man she had befriended months ago, following which the Wadala Truck Terminus police arrested the accused on charges of abetment to suicide.

Man arrested for abetment after woman dies by suicide in Sion

The accused, identified as Shrinivas Shiva Reddy, 46, a labour contractor from Kanukunta in Telangana, was arrested after he allegedly threatened the woman using private photographs and pressured her to continue meeting him, police said.

According to the Wadala TT police, Reddy had accidentally dialled the woman’s number around eight months ago. The two subsequently became friends and remained in contact, with Reddy travelling to Mumbai on multiple occasions to meet her.

Police said the woman’s husband, an electrician, learnt about the alleged relationship on May 4, after which she stopped communicating with Reddy. Investigators alleged that Reddy then began repeatedly calling her and sending her private photographs, threatening to share them with her husband if she refused to meet or speak to him.

“She had become extremely fearful and distressed after the threats. She was under immense pressure,” a police officer from Wadala TT police station said.

The woman is survived by her 17-year-old son, while her daughter is married, police said.

According to investigators, on May 14, the woman allegedly consumed pesticide at her residence. When her husband returned home for lunch, he found her unresponsive and alerted the police.

Police registered a case under Section 108 (abetment of suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and later arrested Reddy after learning that he had returned to Mumbai.

“Reddy was allegedly unaware about the woman’s death as she had stopped responding to his calls. He had come to Mumbai to meet her, following which our team detained him,” the officer said.