BHUBANESWAR: Khurda police on Saturday arrested a 24-year-old woman and her mother on charges of abetting the suicide of her husband.
The accused have been identified as Rupali Badajena and her mother Sanju Patsani. The deceased is 36-year-old Rama Chandra Badajena. Sources said Badajena allegedly died by suicide by jumping in front of a moving train near Nijigarh on Friday evening.
Police said he had reportedly recorded a video a few hours before ending his life and had uploaded it on social media. In the video, Badajena had accused his wife Rupali, mother-in-law Sanju and sister-in-law of allegedly harassing him for money. He had then jumped in front of a train.
Initially, Government Railway Police (GRP) had registered a case of unnatural death in this regard. However, Rama’s mother Indumati Badajena lodged a complaint with Khurda Industrial Estate police on Saturday following which the cops began an investigation. During probe, police examined the video recorded by Rama following which they nabbed Rupali and her mother Sanju.
“Further investigation into the matter is continuing,” said Khurda Industrial Estate IIC, Gayatri Mishra.
Sources said Rama and Rupali had tied the knot in June 2023 and he had spent Rs 20 lakh for their marriage. Rupali’s family had assured him to share the expenses but they later refused to give him the money. The accused had even allegedly threatened Rama of lodging a false complaint against him and his family if he demanded to return his money. The couple has an 11-month-old daughter.
There has been a spate of of suicides across the country in the recent months where victims alleged harassment by their wives. In a similar incident in December last year, a 34-year-old man died by suicide at his home in Bengaluru, shortly after recording a video accusing his estranged wife and her family of harassment.