Hyderabad: A 25-year-old software professional ended her life in her flat in an upscale apartment in Raidurgam allegedly over harassment by her husband for additional dowry. There was no suicide note.
Following a complaint by Devika’s family on Monday, police registered a dowry harassment case against her husband Satish Chandra and took him into custody for questioning. Devika’s family has alleged that Satish had been demanding that her family-owned flat in Nizampet and a plot be transferred to his name.
Satish and Devika, who had met while working in an MNC in Bengaluru, had married about six months ago after a relationship of over two years. Satish is an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, while Devika had done her college in Bengaluru. They had recently moved to Hyderabad following a transfer to the local office.
Over the past few months, they had been having frequent arguments, prompting elders from both sides to intervene, police said. Satish as well as Devika happen to be only child of their parents.
On Sunday, according to Raidurgam police, Satish had left the flat after a quarrel. He subsequently did not pick her multiple calls. When he returned home, he entered using a spare key and slept in another room as she did not open the bedroom door when he knocked, police said.
Next morning, when she did not get up to go to work, he knocked again on the door. But as there was no response, he broke it open and found her dead, police said.
Devika’s mother Lakshmi alleged they had given cash and gold jewellery as dowry, but Satish continued to harass Devika over Nizampet flat (where Lakshmi resides) and land in their native Vikarabad.
“I had only my daughter, and now I’ve lost her too. I demand strict punishment for him,” said Lakshmi, who lost her husband a few years ago.
Satish hails from Mancherial where his father lives. His mother died several years ago.
As the marriage had lasted less than seven years, an inquest was conducted by an executive magistrate, Raidurgam SHO Ch Venkanna said.
Devika’s body was handed over to her family after post-mortem on Tuesday.