Pune Dowry Death: 20-Year-Old Woman Dies by Suicide, Husband Arrested; In-Laws Booked for Harassment
Pune: Highly Qualified Woman Dies By Suicide After Dowry Harassment, Mother-in-Law Booked
Pune, June 9: In another suspected dowry-related tragedy, a 20-year-old woman, Swati Suraj Pathak, died by suicide at her home in Kesnand, Pune on Saturday, allegedly due to persistent mental and physical harassment by her husband and in-laws. The case emerged just weeks after a similar incident involving Vaishnavi Hagawane shocked the city.
Swati’s husband, 26-year-old Suraj Rajendraprasad Pathak, has been arrested by Wagholi police in connection with her death. Additionally, Swati’s father-in-law, mother-in-law, and other family members have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including:
- Section 80 (dowry death)
- Section 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt)
- Section 3(5) (criminal act in furtherance of common intention)
- Section 352 (intentional insult)
The FIR was filed following a complaint by Swati’s mother, a resident of Mau district in Uttar Pradesh. The accused, all residents of the Om Nivas building in Kesnand, allegedly demanded money from Swati’s family and subjected her to regular abuse and humiliation.
Swati had married Suraj Pathak on March 6, 2024. According to the complaint, her in-laws continuously pressured her to bring dowry from her parents, leading to severe emotional distress.
“No suicide note was recovered from the scene. The husband has been taken into custody. We are investigating further,” said Assistant Police Inspector Vinayak Ahire.
This tragic case bears chilling similarity to the recent suicide of 24-year-old Vaishnavi Hagawane, who also alleged dowry harassment before ending her life on May 16 in Bhukum, Pune district. In that case, Bavdhan police arrested her husband Shashank Hagawane, former NCP leader and father-in-law Rajendra Hagawane, and four others on May 17.
