Woman found hanging at in-laws’ house, kin cry foul

A 27-year-old woman was found hanging under suspicious circumstances in her house at Dohag Ploti village in Dehra subdivision of Kangra district last night.

While her husband and in-laws claimed that she died by suicide, her parents have alleged that she was murdered at in-laws house.

The deceased, identified as Smriti, was found hanging from a noose in her room. According to her in-laws, she had gone to sleep with her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter in the room upstairs. Her mother-in-law reportedly discovered the body when she opened the door.

Smriti’s father Madan Lal alleged that her husband Varun Kumar, who he claimed was addicted to drugs, had been frequently harassing and assaulting her. He further alleged that the couple had a heated argument on the night of the incident. Madan Lal claimed that the room where his daughter’s body was found was not locked from inside, raising suspicion of foul play.

The local police officials said when a team of cops from Haripur police station and Ranital police post reached the spot, the body had already been taken down from the noose. A forensic team later collected evidence from the room.

Dehra DSP Shumayla Chaudhary personally inspected the scene and was supervising the investigation. The body was sent to the Dehra Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination.

When the body was brought back to the village after autopsy, a large crowd from the woman’s parental side had gathered, demanding the immediate arrest of the husband and his parents.

They initially refused to perform last rites until action was taken. The situation was brought under control after the police detained the husband, mother-in-law and father-in-law for questioning, following which the cremation was conducted by the family members.

The police officials said probe was underway to ascertain the cause of death and action will be initiated as per the law.