5 accused of dowry death chargesheeted

Jammu, December 13

The Samba police have filed a chargesheet against five accused, including two women, in a dowry death case of a young pregnant woman, Jyoti Devi.

On June 22 this year, the police initiated inquest proceedings at the Ramgarh police station to ascertain the actual cause of the death of 24-year-old Jyoti Devi, the wife of Kala Ram whose marriage was solemnised, just one-and-a-half year ago and who was eight month pregnant. She died under mysterious circumstances.

The police collected scientific, documentary and oral evidence and concluded that it was a dowry death case as the deceased was subjected to cruelty and harassment as accused had made dowry demand just before her death. The police had converted inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC into 304 B (dowry death and the punishments for offenders), 313 (causing a miscarriage without the consent of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code and started investigation. The five accused, including the husband, had been arrested in the instant case and are in jail on judicial remand.

“The police have completed the investigation of the case, proved offence against five accused and produced challan of the case in the court of Additional Special Mobile Magistrate, Samba, for judicial determination,” an official said.

Samba Senior Superintendent of Police Benam Tosh said the police are expeditiously solving mysterious death cases and professionally completing investigations on merit in a time-bound manner in Samba district.