What started as a dating app hookup in 2024 ended in tragedy less than six months into the marriage, as the death of a Noida resident in Bhopal sparked allegations of dowry harassment, assault and murder by her family.
The 31-year-old was found hanged at her matrimonial home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area on May 12. She married a Bhopal-based lawyer in December 2025 after the two met on a dating app the previous year, police said. He is the son of a former sessions judge.
An FIR has since been registered against the husband and his mother under Section 80(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to the dowry death, while a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the allegations.
How did the woman meet her husband?
According to police, the woman, originally from Noida, met the man through a dating app in 2024. Their relationship later evolved into marriage, and the couple tied the knot in December 2025.
After the wedding, she moved to Bhopal and started living with her husband and his family at their residence in Bagh-e-Mughalia – Katara Hills area.
However, the woman’s relatives claim that she was not happy in Bhopal and wanted to return to Noida.
According to family members, she maintained regular contact with them and spoke to them until around 10pm on Tuesday, shortly before her death.
Her father claimed that she spoke to him about 30 minutes before the incident and complained that she was being harassed by her husband and mother-in-law. The family also claimed that she told them that she was physically assaulted by her husband.
The family points out signs of infection on the body
Police began investigating the case as a suspected suicide. However, her family claimed foul play and claimed there were injury marks on her body. They accused the husband and his mother of killing her.
The family also questioned the autopsy conducted at AIIMS Bhopal, alleging that the investigating officer failed to provide crucial evidence for forensic examination, as mentioned in the medical report.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajneesh Kashyap, who is heading the SIT probe, said the probe would examine allegations of dowry harassment, physical assault and alleged attempts to destroy evidence after the woman’s death, news agency PTI reported.
Police also said that efforts have been intensified to trace and arrest the woman’s husband.
Protest outside CM’s residence
As the investigation progressed, the woman’s family staged a protest outside Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s residence in Bhopal on Sunday, the agency added.
The family has demanded a second post-mortem examination at AIIMS Delhi, alleging that the woman’s body remained at the AIIMS Bhopal mortuary for five days.
Her father and brother later said that officials from the Prime Minister’s Office had assured them that fair action would be taken. The family also demanded that the legal procedures in the case be transferred outside the country.
Meanwhile, the Bhopal District Court on Saturday granted interim bail to the victim’s father-in-law, retired principal judge and former district consumer forum president in connection with the case.
The hearing on the husband’s anticipatory bail application is scheduled for Monday.
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides can be prevented. If you need support or know someone who does, please contact your nearest mental health professional.
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