A family of nine threatened to commit suicide in front of the Delhi Police Headquarters on Monday after officers allegedly refused to write an FIR over their daughter’s dowry death.
According to the deceased woman’s father, the girl died by suicide at her in-laws’ house on April 5, after facing dowry-related harassment for years along with humiliation at the hands of her husband and his relatives. The police state that it is now in the process of registering a proper case.
“At the time, we spent ₹15,00,000 on her wedding and gave the groom’s family ₹2,00,000 cash along with the motorcycle, gold and silver jewellery. We also gave ₹1,75,000 cash for the groom to buy furniture, a fridge and an air conditioner for their new house. We paid this huge sum on that family’s demand,” says Balveer, father of the woman who lost her life.
The father further alleged that soon after the wedding, the girl’s in-laws began harassing her daily to seek more dowry. “They took away the gold and silver jewellery given to her during the wedding, saying that it was for safekeeping… In the first week of January, her in-laws began pressuring her to ask us for another car. When my daughter said that we could not afford such a purchase, they began abusing her and demanding that we pay them an additional ₹5,00,000 for the wedding,” said Balveer.
Suicide by the Entire Family
Unable to take further pressure and harassment at the hands of her in-laws and husband, the woman allegedly died by suicide on April 5. Despite her family’s efforts, the police would not take their complaint. This further prompted the entire family to take drastic steps in front of the Police Headquarters.
Responding to the same, a senior police official told national media that the case has been registered under sections of cruelty and abetment of suicide. “The family has submitted a written statement and we shall register the case based on that. The inquest proceedings were taking time, which is why there was a delay in registering the case,” stated the police official.