A 24-year-old man from Ludhiana died by suicide last week, triggering a fresh controversy after his former spouse, now residing in the United Kingdom, released a video alleging dowry harassment and psychological pressure from his family. The woman, Kirandeep Kaur, accused her in-laws of making unreasonable demands and claimed that her ex-husband, Sunil Kumar, often threatened self-harm.
Police in Ludhiana have booked Kaur, her parents and her current husband Gurpreet Singh after Kumar’s family blamed her for driving him into depression, ultimately leading to his suicide. Kumar’s parents allege that after she moved to the UK, she severed all communication with him, worsening his mental health.
According to village sarpanch Sukhwinder Singh, the couple married in June 2019, and Kumar sold property worth Rs 11 lakh to finance Kaur’s move to England. Singh further alleged that Kaur’s family misled Kumar into signing divorce papers, promising help with his travel plans. The two officially separated in September 2024, after which Kaur reportedly married Gurpreet Singh the following month.
Kumar’s mother claimed her son even attended Kaur’s second wedding as a witness, believing it was part of visa formalities and that they would reunite later in the UK. The family says Kaur became unresponsive soon after leaving India.
In her video, Kaur countered the allegations, stating she was pressured into relocating abroad and that the dowry-related disputes began shortly after the wedding. She also disputed the 2019 wedding date, asserting they married in 2021.
Police have registered a case against Kaur and her family on charges including abetment of suicide, fraud, and conspiracy.
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