Police said the woman, Ritu Yadav, allegedly wrote on her arm and palm that her husband and in-laws were responsible for her death and that he had only married her to collect dowry.
A 25-year-old MBA graduate was found hanging at her parents’ home in Palam Vihar Extension Thursday, with her family alleging she was harassed for dowry by her husband and his family. Police have registered an FIR against her husband, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and his wife under IPC sections 304-B (dowry death) and 34 (common intention).
Police said the woman, Ritu Yadav, allegedly wrote on her arm and palm that her husband and in-laws were responsible for her death and that he had only married her to collect dowry. Police said she also allegedly wrote on her palm that she had left a five-page suicide note, and they have recovered the notebook in which it was written.
Rajeev Kumar, ACP Udyog Vihar, said, “We have recovered the suicide note in which the victim alleged that she was harassed by her husband and three other members of his family for dowry. An FIR has been registered and we have initiated a probe. The accused are yet to be arrested. The body was handed over to the family after the post-mortem.”
The victim’s brother, Kuldeep Yadav, told The Indian Express that his sister got married on February 18, 2022. “It was an arranged marriage. Her husband had a government job and we had inquired about him… which showed it was a good match. Humne apni haisiyat se zyada dahej diya taaki hamari behen ko koi pareshan na kare (We gave them more dowry than we could afford so they wouldn’t bother her). They asked for a Tata Harrier car, but we gave them the top model of Tata Safari costing Rs 18 lakh. Other items including gold and silver jewellery, furniture, all electrical appliances for the household, an almirah and clothes for family and relatives – we sent a total of over Rs 70 lakh in dowry, but they were not satisfied,” he alleged.
Yadav said that his sister had done B.Com (Hons) from a government college in Gurgaon and an MBA in Human Resources from a college in Sector 40, and added that her dream was to open an animal rescue shelter. “She loved animals. Whenever she spotted a street dog that needed help, she would rescue it. They tortured and mentally harassed her with repeated taunts about dowry. She wanted to be independent, but they put a condition that they would not allow her to work in the private sector. So, she was preparing for a government job. A few days into the marriage, they found faults in the furniture… My father was ill recently, so she must have kept all this to herself. Had I known…,” he said, breaking down. “My sister returned to our house on May 5 for a few days. Yesterday at 4.20 pm, when my younger sister returned from her class, she saw Ritu hanging in her room on the first floor,” Yadav said.
In the purported suicide note, the victim said she wanted to live but couldn’t anymore. “My husband married me for dowry and to bring a maid home. I want a divorce but he is not agreeing to it… we do not even talk,” it read.
In the note, the victim also said her in-laws had initially agreed but later reneged on allowing her to get a government job. “I wanted to work… I have just one request that my husband does not get the job of a government teacher, which he wants. Otherwise, the lives of children will be ruined,” it states.
“I came to my house on May 5 with the thought that I would never return. My body should be cremated in my native village,” the note states, signing off with “May 19, 1.20 pm”.
