Ludhiana: A 22-year-old newly married woman allegedly hanged herself at her residence following persistent harassment for dowry, prompting the Ludhiana police to arrest her husband and parents-in-law on Friday. Acting on a complaint filed by the victim’s mother, police registered an FIR against the trio under Sections 80 (dowry death) and 3(5) (joint criminal intent) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).The tragedy comes just over a year after the woman entered a love marriage with the prime accused last year, which initially had the full backing of both families. According to the victim’s mother’s statement, the relationship soured a few months into the marriage when the prime accused, along with his father and mother, began harassing and taunting the victim for failing to meet their dowry expectations.The fatal escalation came to light on May 21 when the woman’s brother received a phone call from an unidentified individual claiming to be a friend of his sister’s husband, who delivered the news that she had died by suicide. The victim’s family maintains that the intense psychological pressure and domestic abuse over material demands directly drove the 22-year-old to take her own life.Officials confirmed that police intervention following the suicide report led to the immediate arrests on Friday. The three accused remain in custody as police continue to record family statements and compile forensic evidence for the trial.
