A 28-year-woman, who had got married just two months ago, was found critically injured on Saturday evening in South Delhi on Saturday, and later succumbed to her injuries, the police said. According to police, her kin have ruled out the possibility of suicide and alleged that her in-laws murdered her as she was unable to cater to their dowry demands.

Police said the case is being probed from all angles. 

Woman identified as Akriti 

The investigating police personnel said the woman who died under mysterious circumstances has been identified as Akriti Sutar, a resident of Pushp Vihar. She was found grievously injured outside NDMC Flats at Palika Kunj in the city’s Lodhi Colony, nearly 10 kilometres away from her marital home. She was rushed to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, where the doctors pronounced her dead upon arrival. 

Cops probing every possible angle

The police learnt that Akriti was discovered lying on the ground after allegedly falling from the third floor of the residential complex. Locals informed the cops after finding her in an injured state.

Officials aware of the incident said there were visible bruises and other injuries on her body, but the circumstances under which she fell from the high-rise are still unclear. The cops are also trying to ascertain why she had travelled to a deserted residential complex, which was located at some distance from her marital home. Senior police officer Anant Mittal said proceedings have been initiated under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) of the area has been also notified to conduct the inquest. 

The police have stressed that all aspects of the case are being examined, while the post-mortem examination is expected to play a key role in establishing the exact cause behind the death. 

Kin reject suicide theory

Akriti’s family has maintained that she cannot die by suicide, instead alleging that she was murdered over dowry demands. As per her kin, she married one Arastu Sikka on April 24 after the couple had been in a relationship for eight years. The duo landed in a relationship after Akriti had befriended Arastu’s sister. 

Her family alleged that soon after the wedding, Arastu and his relatives began demanding Rs 20 lakh as dowry, besides repeatedly harassing and threatening her. Akriti’s brother, Amay said that his sister was mentally strong and would never have died by suicide. The family added to its claims, saying that Arastu had allegedly threatened to kill her on several occasions and that the couple had an argument just two days before her death. 

Kin narrate sequence of events before learning about Akriti’s death

Recalling the sequence of events, Akriti’s uncle, Mananjay Sutar said she had spoken to her mother at around 6 pm on Saturday over the phone and was on her way home. The family said that at around 8 pm, it received a call from Aratsu claiming that Akriti was missing. Roughly 90 minutes later, the cops informed them that a woman’s body had been found at Palika Kunj. 

Her kin questioned several aspects of the case, including the absence of bloodstains at the crime scene and the fact that the residential complex where Akriti was found injured was largely unoccupied. They believe these factors warrant an in-depth probe. 

As per police, a probe into the incident is underway and that further action shall depend on the findings of the autopsy report, as well as other forensic evidence.