Man accused of starving wife to death for dowry

Bareilly: Parents of a 30-year-old woman who died during treatment at a private hospital here have alleged that her husband starved her to death. He was torturing her for more dowry, they claimed. The couple had got married a year ago.

Deceased was identified as Seema Sagar, a resident of Akha village under Visharatganj police station area. She got married to Akhilesh Kumar, 32, a resident of BDA colony under Subhashnagar police station in February 2018. The couple has a three-month-old daughter. Kumar works in a private company.

The woman’s father Seth Ram said, “I gave a motorcycle, Rs 2 lakh cash and gold ornaments worth Rs 5 lakh to Kumar’s family. I worked in the police department as a sub inspector and was posted in Hardoi district. I retired in June 2018. Since my retirement, Kumar, his mother Chamele, 56, and two brothers, Kailash Babu, 37, and Pradeep, 40, started demanding Rs 5 lakh cash and began to threaten my daughter. Ten days ago, they had beaten up my daughter and locked her up in a room. When I went at my daughter in-law’s house, they promised me that they would not threaten her again.”

Seth Ram said Kumar’s neighbour informed him that Seema had suddenly fainted and her in-laws had admitted her in a private hospital. “After receiving the information about the incident, I immediately called Dial 100 and informed police. I along with six villagers reached the hospital where Seema breathed her last. Her husband along with three family members fled from the scene.” Ram added.

Hareesh Chandra Joshi, Subhashnagar station house officer, said, “After getting information from the deceased’s father, we rushed to the spot and sent the body for post-mortem examination. After getting the post-mortem report, we will take appropriate steps in this matter.”