HYDERABAD: A 23-year-old pregnant woman died by suicide after her husband sought a DNA test for the unborn child. Following the incident, police arrested the husband and mother-in-law of the woman on Saturday.The victim, G Sushmita, 23, hung herself at her house in Gadipeddapur village in Alladurg mandal of Medak district on June 24 evening. Sushmita, a native of Mothkupally village in Vikarabad district, was married to G Abhilash, a bangle seller, from Gadipeddapur about 18 months ago.She was five months pregnant at the time of suicide and in her complaint to the police, Sushmita’s mother, G Janabai, alleged that her daughter was subjected to physical and mental harassment by her husband. “On June 23, my husband and I visited Sushmita’s house to discuss arrangements for the baby shower ceremony. While we were there, Abhilash had an argument about the ceremony and demanded a DNA test for the unborn child. Subsequently, elders from the community intervened and we returned home,” Janabai alleged in her police complaint.Two days later, after the humiliating experience, on June 25 evening, Sushmita hung herself at her house in Gadipeddapur. Her parents were informed by villagers.In her police complaint, Janabai also alleged that her daughter died due to the continuous harassment from her husband and mother-in-law.Based on the complaint, Alladurg police booked a case under Sections 85 (Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) and 108 (Abetment of suicide), read with Section 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on June 26. The body of Sushmita was handed over to her parents after the post-mortem. “On Saturday, we arrested Abhilash and his mother, Laxmi. They were produced before the magistrate and sent to judicial remand,” Alladurg SI D Shankar said.
