Vaishnavi Hagawane’s maternal uncle recalled a conversation with her before her death by suicide, in which she said she had made a mistake by marrying against her family's wishes. He also appealed to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to ensure justice for his "ladki bahin".
He said, "This is a dowry death. Her in-laws were repeatedly torturing her and demanding money. I urge Ajit Dada to give justice to his 'ladki bahin'. The police must arrest the culprits immediately." "Vaishnavi used to repeatedly tell me, 'Mama, I made a wrong decision. What should I do now?'," he added.
In a chat with her friend too, Vaishnavi accused her in-laws of torturing her mentally and physically. She also expressed that she wanted to divorce her husband due to the torture.
"My husband was watching when I was being beaten, but he didn't say anything. Later, he too hit me. I have decided to divorce him. I have told this to my father. He said we will discuss," Vaishnavi told her friend on WhatsApp.
"I feel bad because my husband, whom I married against everyone's wishes, never really became mine. I made a big mistake by marrying him. Now it has gone beyond talking and understanding. I had never imagined such a thing would happen in my life," she added.
Vaishnavi's parents lodge an FIR
Vaishnavi's parents have lodged an FIR against her in-laws under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to abetment to suicide and domestic violence.
In their complaint, Vaishnavi's parents alleged that during the wedding, they had given 51 tolas (595 gm) of gold, silver, and an SUV to her husband's family, but their daughter's in-laws were pressuring her to bring Rs 2 crore more to purchase land. They also claimed their daughter was physically tortured before her death and alleged she may have been murdered.
So far, Vaishnavi's husband Shashank, mother-in-law Lata, and sister-in-law Karishma have been arrested, while her father-in-law Rajendra and brother-in-law Sushil are absconding.
Viral photo shows Ajit Pawar handing over Toyota Fortuner key at wedding
A picture of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar handing over the key of a Toyota Fortuner to Vaishnavi and her husband has gone viral on social media, drawing flak from all quarters. Netizens said the politician shouldn't have presented the key to the couple. They added that even if the SUV was meant to be a "gift", it amounts to "dowry", which is illegal.
