Severe head injury, struck with iron rod: Woman beaten to death in Ghaziabad; husband, in-laws held

The autopsy revealed that she suffered about 30-35 injuries and also a severe injury to her head.

Police arrested a 38-year-old man and his parents late Tuesday for allegedly beating his 35-year-old wife to death with an iron rod at their home in Ghaziabad, officials said on Wednesday. An autopsy found around 30 to 35 injuries on the woman’s body, including a severe head injury, police said.

Police said the accused allegedly fled after admitting her to the hospital. (HT Photo/Sakib Ali/Representational)

The woman died during treatment at a hospital on Sunday evening. Police said the assault took place in the presence of her two children, aged 10 and 12.

The three suspects — her husband, his 58-year-old father and 55-year-old mother — were arrested from Guldhar near Delhi-Meerut Road. Police also recovered the iron rod allegedly used in the assault.

The arrests came after the woman’s brother lodged a murder case on Monday, alleging that she had been subjected to repeated domestic violence by her husband and in-laws. Police said the accused allegedly fled after admitting her to hospital.

“The autopsy revealed that she suffered about 30-35 injuries and also a severe injury to her head. She was beaten by her husband, her father-in-law and her mother-in-law inside a cattle shelter at their house. The police arrested the three suspects and also recovered the iron rod used in the crime,” said Abhay Rajendra Daga, assistant commissioner of police, Kavi Nagar.

The FIR was registered at Madhuban Bapudham police station under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 103(1) (murder) and 85 (husband or relatives of husband subjecting a woman to cruelty).

“It has been alleged that the woman was late in preparing food for her mother-in-law, and this triggered the latest bout of violence. She was beaten severely,” Daga said.

Speaking to HT on Monday, the woman’s family said she had married about 14 years ago and alleged that her husband, who works at a private firm, did not give her enough money to run the household.

“Over a period of time, the issue escalated into fights, and he resorted to violence. The incident on Sunday happened after her husband failed to pay the school fees for the two children for the past four to five months. About 15 days before that, the family had assured her that no one would hurt her again. Four days before the incident, her brother was supposed to visit her, but she asked him not to come because there had been another instance of domestic violence,” Sonu Singh, the woman’s maternal uncle, said on Monday.