GURGAON: The deaths of a 28year-old woman and her three young daughters in a village well in Nuh have brought into focus allegations of prolonged harassment at home — from dowry demands and physical assault to taunts by her parentsin-law for not bearing a son.A murder case has now been registered against seven members of her husband’s family after the woman’s father alleged that the abuse had escalated in the days before the four were found dead. Sahila, married to Sahid of Badopur village in 2018, was found dead along with her daughters — Aksha (5), Saniya (2.5), and four-month-old Sanaya — in a well in the agricultural fields on Monday.Her father Hanif, a resident of Alwar in Rajasthan, told police that substantial dowry had been given to her in-laws at the time of marriage, including a motorcycle, Rs 1.1 lakh in cash and household items, but the family was “never satisfied”.In his complaint, Hanif said the harassment began early in the marriage, with repeated demands for a Hyundai Creta. He alleged that Sahid, Sahila’s brothers-in-law Zubair and Saddam, father-inlaw Isab, and other relatives — Maqsoodan, Maimuna and Sanji — subjected her to sustained mental and physical abuse. According to the complaint, the torture worsened after Sahila gave birth to daughters and not a son.“From the beginning, they kept pressuring and harassing my daughter for a Creta,” Hanif said in his complaint, adding that he repeatedly tried to reason with the family and, at times, brought Sahila back to her parental home to shield her from the abuse.“We went to their house several times and pleaded with them not to torment her. But their behaviour did not change,” he added.Hanif also alleged that about six months ago, Sahila was locked inside a room and thrashed. Her jewellery, including bangles, necklaces and chains, were also taken away. When Hanif sent his son Rashid to check on her, Rashid, too, was allegedly assaulted and confined. He later called police, who rescued him.The incident led to a complaint at Ferozepur Jhirka police station, where a community meeting was held. According to the family, Sahila’s husband and in-laws admitted they were wrong and the matter was settled then. But Hanif said the situation deteriorated again after Sahila gave birth to her third daughter around four months ago.Two days before the deaths, Sahila called her father and told him that her inlaws had beaten her badly and were threatening to kill her, according to the FIR.Around 8.30pm on Sunday, Hanif received a call from a person in Badopur, asking if Sahila had reached her parental home. Hanif tried calling her marital family through the night to find out about his daughter, but got no response. The next morning, while on his way to the village, he was informed by the village headman that Sahila and her daughters had been found dead in a well.Police recovered the bodies and sent them to a mortuary at a govt hospital in Mandikhera. A murder case was registered as well. “Teams have been formed to arrest the accused at the earliest. The harassment, as alleged, was linked to the birth of girls,” an official said.
