New Delhi: The mysterious death of a 28-year-old newlywed woman in Delhi has triggered allegations of dowry harassment and murder, with her family insisting that she was mentally strong and had shown no signs of distress before her death. Police have launched an investigation into the case and said all possible angles are being examined.
The deceased, identified as Akriti Sutar, was found dead on Saturday evening at a residential society in Lodhi Colony, around 10 kilometres from her residence in Pushp Vihar. Preliminary reports suggest that she fell from a building, but the exact circumstances surrounding her death remain under investigation.
According to Akriti’s family, she had resumed work that day after being on leave following her marriage on April 24. Employed as a sales executive with a private company in Chhatarpur, she had also hosted a small gathering for her colleagues before leaving for home. Her family argued that these activities reflected a positive state of mind and strongly rejected the possibility that she died by suicide.
Family members said Akriti spoke to her mother at around 6 p.m., discussing the office celebration and informing her that she was on her way home. About two hours later, they received a call from her husband, Arastu Sikka, stating that she had gone missing. Around 90 minutes after that, police informed the family that a woman’s body had been discovered at Palika Kunj in Lodhi Colony.
Akriti’s relatives have accused her husband and his family of demanding ₹20 lakh as dowry and subjecting her to repeated harassment and threats after the marriage. They also alleged that Arastu had threatened to kill her on multiple occasions and that the couple had a serious argument just two days before the incident. The family further noted that the couple had been in a relationship for eight years before marrying and claimed that her husband is currently unemployed.
Police have not confirmed the family’s allegations and stated that the investigation is ongoing. Officials said they are examining all available evidence and will determine the cause of death after completing the inquiry.
