Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A woman was found dead at her marital home in Bihar’s Begusarai district after allegedly facing harassment over dowry and pressure to convert to Islam, according to a complaint filed by her mother. The family has accused her husband, Mohammad Arzoo, of strangling her to death. Police have registered a case and are investigating the allegations.
The woman, Ankita Kumari, married Arzoo in 2021 after the two eloped. Following their marriage, Ankita’s family filed a police complaint against Arzoo. However, as both were adults, a court allowed them to live together. They subsequently began living as husband and wife.
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According to Ankita’s mother, Draupadi Devi, tensions between the couple started to surface right after their marriage because of the couple’s different religious backgrounds. The situation, according to her, worsened after Ankita gave birth to a daughter in 2023.
Draupadi alleged that Arzoo and his family began demanding money as dowry and pressuring Ankita to convert to Islam. She claimed her daughter was repeatedly harassed for refusing to change her religion and failing to meet the alleged dowry demands.
As the matter escalated, Ankita’s family intervened and tried to resolve the dispute through discussions. She even came back to her parental home. However, after mediation, Ankita returned to live with her husband.
Her mother further said that the harassment over dowry and religious conversion continued.
On October 19, Ankita asked her husband to take her to a Durga temple in Badi Ballia to offer prayers during Dussehra. According to her mother, Arzoo became angry and assaulted her.
Draupadi said Ankita spoke to her around 11 pm that night and expressed a desire to return to her parental home again. At around 2 am, Arzoo informed the family that Ankita had died by suicide by hanging.
Her family reached the village the following day and lodged a complaint at the local police station on October 20. The complaint named Arju, his brother, the brother’s wife, his sister and another person. The family accused them of dowry-related harassment, pressuring Ankita to convert and murdering her.
Police took custody of Ankita’s body and sent it for a postmortem examination before handing it over to her family.
Senior cop Nikhil Kumar confirmed that a case had been registered on the complaint filed by Draupadi Devi and an investigation has begun.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
