Deepika dowry death: Mother-in-law, husband’s uncle arrested
According to police, Deepika was allegedly subjected to harassment soon after her marriage in December 2024. “The mother-in-law used to harass her for a car, gold and a plot,” an officer said, adding that the uncle too shared a “common intent” in the alleged harassment.
“Before Karva Chauth in October, the family started asking for more, as there is a tradition to send gifts, cash, and jewellery to daughters, but we sent for in-laws as well.”
The Noida Police on Wednesday arrested two more accused in the alleged dowry death case of 24-year-old Deepika Nagar, who reportedly jumped to death from the terrace of her in-laws’ home in Greater Noida on Sunday.
Those arrested include her mother-in-law, Poonam, and her husband’s uncle, Vinod. Earlier, Deepika’s husband, Ritik, a real estate businessman studying law, and her father-in-law, Manoj, had been arrested in the case.
According to police, Deepika was allegedly subjected to harassment soon after her marriage in December 2024. “The mother-in-law used to harass her for a car, gold and a plot,” an officer said, adding that the uncle too shared a “common intent” in the alleged harassment.
Police said Deepika’s viscera samples have been sent to a Ghaziabad laboratory for examination.
Meanwhile, Deepika’s postmortem report has revealed a blood clot in the brain, a ruptured spleen and bruises across the body. Sources said the report recorded contusions on her face, elbow joints, forearm, right thigh, chest and abdomen. According to an officer, while the injuries were consistent with the fall, some appeared to be ante-mortem, or inflicted before death.
“This possibly implies she was being harassed,” the officer said, adding that efforts are underway to arrest the remaining accused.
In all, seven members of her in-laws’ family have been named in the FIR. Three accused – two sisters-in-law and another uncle – are yet to be arrested.
Deepika’s family has alleged that she was repeatedly tortured for dowry.
An Integrated BA BEd graduate, Deepika had a grand wedding and her family spent over a crore. “We gave Scorpio N SUV, cash, more than 20 tolas of gold, 14 earrings to the male relatives, and all the furniture. When the in-laws did not like the bed, my father sent another one,” her sister Sarika had said. Despite this, she alleged, Deepika’s mother-in-law taunted her.
“Before Karva Chauth in October, the family started asking for more, as there is a tradition to send gifts, cash, and jewellery to daughters, but we sent for in-laws as well.”
“Over the past month, her workload had increased. Her feet were hurting and she was weak after two abortions due to medical complications, but her mother-in-law used to make her complete all household chores,” Sarika had said. “How could a 24- year-old woman manage the entire house? But she was still managing it alone. I said do what you can and leave the rest,” she had added.
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