Surat: A 22-year-old married woman allegedly died by suicide after being relentlessly blackmailed by her husband’s friend, who allegedly secretly recorded her while she was bathing and demanded money to prevent the nude video from being circulated.Kapodra police have booked the accused for abetment to suicide.The victim has been living with her husband in the Kapodra area since their marriage in Feb this year. According to the police complaint, the accused, a close friend of her husband who lived on the upper floor of the same residential society, frequently visited their house.About four months ago, the accused allegedly recorded a nude video of the woman while she was taking a bath. He later sent the video to her and allegedly threatened to make it viral unless she paid him money.Police said the woman was unable to meet his repeated demands. The accused allegedly assaulted her on more than one occasion and even went to her workplace, where he slapped her while demanding money.On July 10, the woman confided in her brother about the blackmail. Her brother informed her husband, following which family members confronted the accused. After the intervention of the accused’s elder brother, he was made to format his mobile phone to delete the video and stop harassing her.However, the woman remained deeply distressed over the incident and feared social stigma and defamation.On July 13, she allegedly consumed a poisonous substance at her residence. She was admitted to a private hospital, where she died during treatment on Tuesday.
