The regressive practice of dowry has claimed another victim. Kundan Sharma, a 25-year-old, hanged herself from a ceiling fan on January 31, after being mentally tortured by her in-laws
(From L) Kundan’s mother-in-law Anita, father-in-law Chhotelal and brother-in-law Sandeep were arrested along with her husband Sanuj
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The regressive practice of dowry has claimed another victim. Kundan Sharma, a 25-year-old, hanged herself from a ceiling fan on January 31, after being mentally tortured by her in-laws. They were constantly taunting Kundan, as her father had failed to pay the monthly instalments for the two-wheeler he’d given her husband Sanuj, a 26-year-old mechanical engineer as dowry.
Also read: Woman kills self; husband held for suspected dowry harassment
The police arrested her husband Sanuj Sharma along with his brother Sandeep, father Chhotelal and mother Anita on the same day. When Kundan’s family members learnt of the incident, they told the police that she took the extreme step after getting frustrated from the unbearable harassment she was being subjected to from her husband and other family members.
Defiled over dowry
“In the FIR (mid-day has a copy) Kundan’s father Babulnath Sharma, has stated that her in-laws had demanded dowry from him. Therefore, he bought a two-wheeler for the groom on a monthly instalment. Since Babulnath failed to deposit the money for three months in Sanuj’s bank account due to a financial crisis, Sanuj and his family started harassing Kundan over dowry,” said a cop.
“My daughter used to tell me over phone that her in-laws harasses her and torture her mentally over dowry. Her mother in-law would force her for work for odd hours and not allow her to take rest. They even beat her up sometimes,” claimed Babulnath Sharma.
Didn’t even inform cops
Kundan’s brother Rahul said, “Kundan’s in-laws were so insensitive that after learning about her suicide, they didn’t even take her body down or inform the police or us for two hours. When the incident took place, she was not alone at home. The circumstances under which my sister died points to some foul play.” Acting on the complaint by her father, the police initiated a probe and arrested Sanuj and his family, confirmed inspector Padmakar Devare of MIDC police station.
Also read: Harassed for dowry, woman commits suicide outside Delhi Metro station
All four accused have been booked under sections 304B (Dowry death), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 306 (abetment of suicide) and 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of the IPC.