Shivamogga, 3 April

A 30-year-old woman, who was four months pregnant, died by suicide in Soraba, Shivamogga district, on Sunday. The deceased, Swetha, worked as a private staff nurse at a diagnostic centre.

In their complaint filed at the Soraba Police Station, Swetha's parents alleged that their daughter was seriously distressed from the harassment by her in-laws. They accused her mother-in-law, Janaki, father-in-law Channappa, brother-in-law Hemanth, and other relatives—Divya, Manjamma, and Sujatha—of pouring petrol on her.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case and arrested four individuals, including her in-laws.

Swetha was rushed to Manipal Hospital in the Udupi district. "Nearly 90 per cent of her body, including her face, was burnt," the police complaint stated. "She fought for her life for three days at the hospital; however, on the night of 1 April, she succumbed to her injuries." Doctors attempted emergency surgery to save her unborn child, but it was not possible.

Her husband, Naveen, said about the harassment claims, "They (in-laws) harassed us so much that I don't even feel like calling them my parents. If not for our little daughter, I might not have been alive by now."

Shwetha's father, Manjappa, said, "She would come home late at night, but would not say anything when we asked. We never imagined she would leave us so soon," he cried.

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