22-year-old woman dies by suicide in Ahmedabad, father alleges harassment by in-laws

A 22-year-old woman, Harshana Vaghela, died by suicide in the early hours of Wednesday, with her father alleging sustained harassment, taunts and financial demands by her in-laws as the driving factors behind her death. The incident was registered at Ellisbridge police station in Ahmedabad.

As per the FIR by her father, Jayantibhai S Parmar, a resident of Paldi and a plumber by trade, Harshana had married Mukesh Vaghela on February 14. Post marriage, she had moved into her husband's residence in Khodiyarnagar, Ahmedabad. However, within a few months, she allegedly began facing mental and emotional abuse at the hands of her in-laws.

In his complaint, Jayantibhai stated that Harshana’s mother-in-law, Lakshmiben Vaghela, and sister-in-law, Vaishaliben Vijaybhai Parmar, regularly taunted her for not doing enough household work and accused her of being idle. The complainant further alleged that physical altercations also took place, and that other relatives, including Vaishaliben’s husband, Vijaybhai Parmar, would frequently instigate quarrels within the household.

The situation worsened when, about ten days prior to the incident, Harshana reportedly informed her mother that her husband, Mukesh, had pressured her to bring Rs 1 lakh from her parents to purchase a car. Despite financial constraints, her mother had promised to help when possible.

According to Jayantibhai, Harshana had expressed fears over continued harassment if she failed to meet the demand. Matters escalated on the night of April 22, when Harshana last spoke to her mother. The following morning, at around 5 am, the family received a call from her in-laws informing them that she had consumed poison. When Jayantibhai and his family rushed to Jivraj Mehta Hospital, they were informed that Harshana had succumbed. Her body bore signs of injury, including a mark on her neck and a bleeding nose.

Jayantibhai has accused Mukesh Vaghela, Lakshmiben Vaghela, Vaishaliben Parmar, and Vijaybhai Parmar of mental and physical harassment, abetment of suicide, and extortion. The complaint alleges that their sustained abuse led to Harshana’s deteriorating mental state and ultimately, her death.

Police are currently verifying the allegations and statements of all parties involved, and further inquiries are underway.