20-yr-old woman dies by suicide; family alleges torture by her in-laws

NEW DELHI: A 20-year-old woman died by suicide in southeast Delhi’s Sunlight Colony area, with her family members alleging torture by her husband and in-laws, police said on Sunday.

Police found Sadhna hanging in her room in Sidharth Basti on Saturday after they received a PCR call around noon reporting a suspected case of suicide, an officer said.

A video purportedly showing the woman crying and alleging that her husband Yogesh and her in-laws beat her up has surfaced on social media, the officer said.

In the video, Sadhna, whose wedding anniversary was due in a few days, claimed that she was assaulted for marrying Yogesh against the wishes of their family members.

The video is being verified to confirm its authenticity and the context in which it was recorded, the officer said.

The SDM of Defence Colony has recorded the statements of the deceased’s mother and brother, he said, adding that the body has been handed over to Sadhna’s family after autopsy.

Further legal action will follow based on the SDM’s report and the outcome of the investigation, the officer said.

Sunita, the mother of the deceased, alleged that her daughter had been subjected to regular abuse by her in-laws and husband ever since her marriage around two years back. “My daughter was never at peace. They kept beating her,” she alleged while speaking to mediapersons.

Recalling the events of the day, Sunita said, “The incident happened around 12 noon on Saturday. I spoke to her over phone in the morning around 8:30 am. She didn’t mention anything unusual. After that I left for work.”

Later she received a call from her elder daughter informing her about the tragedy.

“She told me that Sadhna had hanged herself. By the time I reached there, they had already taken the body down,” she said. Sunita added that the family has submitted a written complaint to the police, along with a copy of the video showing Sadhna talking about her ordeal. “We want justice. Strict action must be taken against all those who tortured my daughter and drove her to take the extreme step,” she said.

Confirming the receipt of the complaint, police said the matter is being

probed from all angles.