SRINAGAR: A 38-year-old woman, who was found hanging under mysterious circumstances at her in-laws’ residence in Sai village of Arnia, was cremated on the premises of the house on Tuesday amid massive protests by her family members and locals, who alleged that she was murdered over dowry.
Sushma Devi, wife of ex-serviceman Karnail Singh and a mother of two minor children, was found hanging from a ceiling fan inside her in-laws’ residence in the Sardari Kalan area of Sai village on Monday, officials said.
Her body was subsequently shifted to Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu, for post-mortem examination. A six-member medical board conducted the post-mortem, while the exact cause of death is yet to be established, officials said.
Police registered FIR No. 59/2026 under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), pertaining to abetment of suicide, at Police Station Arnia to investigate the circumstances leading to her death.
Three persons, including her husband, mother-in-law and her husband’s uncle, have been arrested in connection with the case.
The death triggered protests by the deceased woman’s family, who, along with a large number of locals, gathered outside her in-laws’ residence on Tuesday after the post-mortem examination.
Sagar Singh, the deceased woman’s father, alleged that his daughter had been murdered over dowry and accused her in-laws of subjecting her to continued harassment and domestic violence.
He claimed that three complaints of domestic violence had already been registered against her in-laws at Police Station Arnia, but no action had been taken.
Singh further alleged that he had recently purchased a Royal Enfield motorcycle for his son-in-law to meet the dowry demand, but the harassment and demands continued.
The family demanded justice for Sushma Devi, with the protest intensifying as more people assembled near the residence.
Heavy police deployment was made in the area to maintain law and order as the situation grew tense. Officials said the exact cause of death would be established after the post-mortem report.
Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Anna Sinha said three people had been arrested in the case and that police acted swiftly, making the arrests within an hour.
“No one will be spared,” she said, adding that the statements of the arrested persons were being recorded and the investigation would proceed as per law.
As the protest continued, locals arranged a funeral pyre within the premises of the in-laws’ residence. The cremation was subsequently performed there in the evening, instead of at the designated cremation ground.
Eyewitnesses said the cremation took place amid the presence of around 10,000 people, making it difficult for police to prevent the gathering from proceeding with the last rites at the premises.
The allegations of dowry-related harassment and murder are yet to be established through the investigation.
