Pregnant defence ministry officer found dead in Delhi; husband, in-laws booked for abetment of suicide | Delhi News

The deceased was identified as Nazia Khanam.

NEW DELHI: A 30-year-old pregnant woman working with the Ministry of Defence was found dead at her home in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka on Friday, police said.Police have registered a case of cruelty and abetment of suicide against her husband and in-laws after her family alleged she was harassed over dowry. Her husband is currently absconding.The deceased was identified as Nazia Khanam, who was posted as an Assistant Section Officer (ASO) in the Ministry of Defence.She had married Mohammad Azam Ali Khan on April 11 this year, who works as a supply chain manager in Gurgaon. The woman was 3 months pregnant.Police said a PCR call regarding a suicide was received at Sector 23 police station at around 4.21pm. A police team reached the spot and took the body into possession. The concerned SDM was informed and the body was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of DDU Hospital for the requisite proceedings.“On the day of the incident, the husband and wife had gone to a hospital for checkup and once they got back home, the couple got into an argument. After this, she locked her husband in one room and herself inside another room and took her life,” a senior police officer said.On the same day, family members of Khanam appeared before the Executive Magistrate and submitted written statements. At that stage, they did not raise any suspicion or allegation against her husband or any other member of her matrimonial family, police said. However, the next day, Khanam’s parents again appeared before the SDM and submitted a fresh statement/complaint, in which they levelled allegations against her husband and other members of the matrimonial family.“In their complaint to the SDM the family has alleged that the husband was physically assaulting her and mentally harassing her which drove her to take the extreme step,” the senior police officer added.Based on the subsequent complaint and the facts disclosed in it, police registered a case at Sector 23 police station under section 85 (Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) and 108 (Abetment of suicide) of BNS. Family has also demanded that section 80 (dowry death)be also added to the FIR.The exact circumstances leading to Khanam’s death and the allegations made by her parents are being examined as part of the ongoing investigation. Police said further legal action will follow after the facts are established.