New details have emerged in the alleged dowry death case of a 28-year-old newlywed woman in Delhi’s Lodhi Colony, with her younger brother claiming that she had resumed work, hoping that earning income would finally end the taunts and harassment she faced in her matrimonial home. Her husband was arrested on Monday in connection with this case.
The victim’s brother also alleged that she hid a lot of abuse she suffered after her marriage, believing that the situation would improve with time, news agency PTI reported.
According to him, she was determined to continue working so that she could gradually buy the household items for which she was allegedly ridiculed, without placing any financial burden on her family, which suffered after the death of her father in 2019.
He added that she got married on April 24 after a two-year relationship, and resumed her work as a sales manager in a private company in Chhatarpur on July 1 after taking a break to attend her wedding.
Read also: “Suicide” on Lodhi Road: The victim’s husband is arrested and her sister-in-law is booked in the dowry case
Four days later, she died after falling from the third floor of a building in Delhi’s Lodhi Colony.
The brother said their father’s prolonged cancer treatment had left the family in debt before his death, and his sister had major financial responsibilities after that, according to PTI.
“After our father died, she did everything she could for the family. Her dream was to see me become financially independent,” he was quoted as saying, adding that this was one of the reasons she was determined to continue working after marriage.
According to the family, it was agreed before the wedding that she would continue her work. However, after the marriage, her husband’s family allegedly denied the existence of any such understanding.
Allegations of dowry demands
The brother alleged that she was repeatedly ridiculed for not bringing enough household items from her parents’ home, including furniture and appliances, and claimed that indirect demands for $10 lakh for $20 thousand were made.
Instead of asking her family for financial help, he said, she believed that obtaining the items and purchasing them herself would finally end the harassment.
Marital discord and physical abuse
The family initially believed the couple were having routine marital disputes. According to the brother, they intervened after she informed them of an alleged physical assault incident, hoping that reconciliation would improve the situation.
She allegedly revealed the extent of the alleged physical abuse, threats and repeated harassment she had faced over the previous weeks only on July 3, the day before her death.
Read also: Delhi shock: Husband allegedly killed wife with battery, then died by suicide hours later
Warning signs missed?
Looking back, the family believes there were warning signs they failed to fully recognize.
“She became calmer after marriage. We thought she was adjusting to a new environment. Whenever we asked her, she said everything was fine,” the brother said, adding that some of her childhood friends also noticed a change in her behavior.
He further alleged that her husband was closely monitoring her mobile phone, frequently questioning her about changes in its settings and accusing her of infidelity, which led to frequent arguments and physical abuse.
The brother also claimed that he had long felt uneasy about his brother-in-law’s behavior, claiming that he would often take offense over trivial matters and complain about minor interactions.
According to the family, the alleged controlling behavior also extended to her communication with her mother and brother. The brother also alleged that after she reported the abuse to her family, her husband threatened to assault him and fire him from his job if she continued to discuss their marital problems with them.
What happened on July 4th?
On July 4, she left her office but did not return home. After repeated calls to her phone were not answered, the family began searching for her. Later that night, a police officer answered a call on her phone and informed them that she had been hospitalized after falling from the third floor of a building. NDMC residential complex in Lodhi Colony.
The Delhi Police on Monday arrested the husband under sections related to dowry death and cruelty by the husband or his relatives. Investigators are examining CCTV footage, call logs, phone data and other digital evidence to determine the circumstances that led to the woman’s death, while the role of other family members remains under investigation.
(With inputs from PTI)
