dowry demand leads to suicide

Demand for dowry drives woman to hang herself Published: Saturday, Oct 1, 2011, 8:00 IST By DNA Correspondent | Agency: DNA A thirty-year-old housewife, identified as Deepmala Singh, committed suicide by hanging herself at her residence in Malad (west) after her husband and in-laws allegedly demanded Rs1 crore from her father to buy a new flat. Malwani police have registered a case of dowry harassment against her husband and in-laws. According to police, the deceased used to live in a joint family with her husband, Vijay Singh, five-year-old son, father-in-law, mother-in-law and brother-in-law in a 3-BHK located on Marve Road.“The deceased hanged herself on a ceiling fan with her dupatta on September 27. None of the family, except her grandfather-in-law, were at home,” said a police officer. The deceased’s father, Mahendra Pratap Singh has registered a complaint against her husband and in-laws, stating that her in-laws had allegedly demanded Rs one crore to buy a new flat,” said Vaibhav Patil, police sub inspector, of the Malwani police station.Police sources also said: “Vijay was pressurising Deepmala to take money from her father so that they could buy new flat and live separately, but she refused.” “The post mortem report revealed that she died due to strangulation, but we have sent her dupatta and other belongings to the Kalina forensic laboratory for chemical analysis,” said a police officer. Deepmala’s father has lodged case of dowry harassment. The Singhs have filed an anticipatory bail application in the court.