Bhopal dowry death victim's co-actor Swetaa Varma ‘in shock’, doubts suicide angle

Swetaa Varma, who acted with the victim in a Telugu film, has reacted to her sudden death and said she is still in shock.

A former co-star of the victim of the Bhopal dowry death case has reacted in shock to the incident, calling for a fair investigation. The 33-year-old was found dead at the home of her husband, a lawyer, in Bhopal's Katara Hills area on May 12.

Swetaa Varma worked with the Bhopal victim in a 2021 Telugu film.

Bhopal victim's co-star remembers her

The victim had worked in a handful of Telugu films before her marriage. Actor Swetaa Varma had worked alongside her in the 2021 Telugu film Mugguru Monagallu. Remembering her as a warm person who always carried "positive energy" on set, Swetaa wrote on Instagram, “Though our interaction was brief, we shared some fun conversations and a lot of laughter. She carried such positive energy and never seemed like someone who would take such a step.”

The death was initially ruled a suicide by the police, before the victim's family alleged that she was murdered by her husband and in-laws and accused them of a cover-up. The victim's husband is a lawyer, and her mother-in-law is a judge.

Swetaa added, “Still in shock hearing that she is no more, especially just 6 months after getting married. I had the opportunity to work with her in the movie Mugguru Monagallu. I truly hope the investigation is conducted properly, the truth comes out, and justice is served.”

What is the Bhopal dowry death case?

The victim, a former beauty pageant winner and actor, was found dead on May 12 at the Bhopal home of her husband, a lawyer. A resident of Noida, she had married the Bhopal resident in December 2025. Her family has alleged mental torture and dowry harassment by her in-laws. Police have registered a case and constituted an SIT to investigate the matter.

The husband remains absconding, a lookout circular has been issued against him, and police have announced a ₹10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

In several interviews, the mother-in-law alleged that the woman had psychiatric issues and was undergoing treatment before her death. “She was a schizophrenic,” she claimed in one interview, while also describing her as a “troubled personality” who needed constant monitoring. She further alleged that the woman became emotionally unstable after learning about her pregnancy.

Bhopal Police commissioner Sanjay Kumar has stated that the probe so far points to suicide and not murder. He also said no evidence of drug use was found in the postmortem report, contradicting claims made by the mother-in-law.