A 23-year-old pregnant woman allegedly died by suicide after enduring what her family described as prolonged physical and emotional abuse, including her husband’s demand for a DNA test for her unborn child. Police have since arrested the woman’s husband and mother-in-law in connection with the incident.
The deceased, G. Sushmita, who was five months pregnant, was found dead at her residence in Gadipeddapur village, Alladurg mandal of Medak district, on the evening of June 25.
Confirming the arrests, Alladurg Sub-Inspector D. Shankar said Sushmita’s husband, G. Abhilash, and his mother, Laxmi, were taken into custody on Saturday.
“We arrested her husband G. Abhilash and his mother Laxmi. They were produced before the magistrate and remanded in judicial custody,” the police officer said.
According to a complaint lodged with the police by Sushmita’s mother, G. Janabai, the young woman had been subjected to sustained physical and mental harassment throughout her marriage, with the alleged demand for a DNA test shortly before her death worsening her emotional distress.
Sushmita, a native of Mothkupally village in Vikarabad district, had been married to Abhilash, a bangle seller from Gadipeddapur, for about 18 months.
Janabai told investigators that she and her husband visited their daughter’s matrimonial home on June 23 to discuss arrangements for Sushmita’s traditional baby shower ceremony.
During the meeting, however, Abhilash allegedly objected to aspects of the ceremony and demanded that Sushmita undergo a DNA test to establish the paternity of the unborn child.
The allegation was made in the presence of members of both families.
According to the complaint, the confrontation led to an argument before community elders intervened. Although the families eventually dispersed, Janabai alleged that the accusation deeply humiliated her daughter and left her emotionally devastated.
The family further alleged that the suspicion cast on Sushmita’s character, coupled with what they described as continuous harassment by her husband and mother-in-law, severely affected her mental well-being.
Two days later, on the evening of June 25, Sushmita was found dead at her residence. Villagers alerted her parents, who rushed to the scene.
Based on Janabai’s complaint, the Alladurg Police registered a case on June 26 under Sections 85 (husband or relatives subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 108 (abetment of suicide), read together with Section 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police have launched an investigation into the allegations to determine the circumstances surrounding Sushmita’s death.
Following a post-mortem examination, her body was released to her family for burial.
The incident has sparked renewed concern over allegations of domestic abuse and the treatment of women within marital homes, particularly during pregnancy, as investigators continue efforts to establish the full facts surrounding the case.
