The shocking suicide case of former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Rajendra Hagawane's daughter-in-law Vaishnavi (26) in Pune has caused uproar across the state, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar promising strict action against the culprits on Thursday.
Rajendra Hagawane's daughter-in-law Vaishnavi (26) allegedly hanged herself on May 16 at her in-laws' house in the Bavdhan area in Pune district.
Speaking to reporters, Vaishnavi's maternal uncle, Uttam Bahirat said it was a love match, opposed initially by her parents.
Meanwhile, her maternal uncle has shared the story of her marriage. Speaking with a Marathi media house, he said that Vaishnavi had plans to elope with Shashank Hagawane. He said that her father was admitted to the ICU and Shashank came near the hospital and asked her to run away with him.
"Later, her family thought that it would lead to embarrassment in society if she ran away with Shashank, so she was married off to him," he added.
Shashank Hagawane and his family demanded dowry, including an expensive SUV, gold, and a wristwatch worth over Rs 1 lakh, he alleged.
"Her parents had booked a vehicle, but Shashank demanded a more expensive one," Bahirat said.
He also claimed that Shashank didn’t want an MG Hector, and instead demanded a Toyota Fortuner.
Vaishnavi began facing physical and mental abuse within six months of the marriage in 2023, he said, adding, "She admitted to me that she regretted her decision (to marry Shashank)."
