A young woman's demise has shocked Maharashtra after it was claimed that harassment by her husband and in-laws led to her taking her own life. Vishakha Tilkar of Ambarnath reportedly died by suicide just 45 days after getting married.
As per available information, Vishakha Tilkar was a victim of dowry harassment. Ever since her marriage on April 30 to Dr Nitin Tilkar, who has been arrested by the Shivajinagar Police, she was harassed to ensure her family offered more gold.
Along with the husband, his mother Chhaya Tilkar and brother Ninad Tilkar have also been named in the FIR. The duo are reportedly at large.
Ever since the marriage, 26-year-old Vishakha was traumatised as part of a pressure tactic to make her family offer more gold, her family alleged. Even the customary gifts received during the wedding were labelled insufficient or cheap by her in-laws, who allegedly wanted more cash and valuables.
Such was the systemic harassment that the Tilkars denied her any form of social life. Nitin installed multiple CCTV cameras around their residence to keep track of his wife. If she was spotted interacting with neighbours or anybody outside the household, she was questioned and physically assaulted, Times Now said in a report.
The last known instance of physical abuse occurred only a couple of days before her passing, when she was seen on camera speaking to a female neighbour, the report said. Vishakha had opened up to her mother recently about what had been happening at her in-laws' home. Her family was convinced that she should not be abandoned to suffer alone and was about to bring her home when tragedy struck.
The mother and her two sons face charges of abetment to suicide and subjecting the victim to mental and physical cruelty.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)
