Dowry Death Case Registered After Woman and 11-Month-Old Son Found Dead

Hyderabad:A 27-year-old woman, Sushmita, allegedly murdered her 11-month-old son and died by suicide at Jayakrishna Enclave in Hastinapuram, Meerpet police said on Friday. On learning about this, the Sushmita’s mother Lalitha also attempted to die by suicide. She was rushed to a hospital, where she is in a critical condition.

Police were in a dilemma over who to hand over the bodies of the deceased to, even as her relatives alleged foul play in the manner the police were handling the case. Police sources said the investigators would rely on Lalitha’s statement.

It was stated that Sushmita owned property valued at around `15 crore. They questioned whether this could influence the course of the investigation.

Police registered a case under BNS Section 304B, which covers dowry death, following allegations that Sushmita during her lifetime used to be harassed by her husband Yeshwanth Reddy. Her relatives questioned why Reddy had not been arrested.

Family members also questioned the urgency in sending the bodies for postmortem, without waiting for relatives to arrive and provide inputs. One relative disputed Reddy’s claim that Lalitha ordered a chemical online, stating that she was not literate and unfamiliar with online purchases.

While police deliberated on who to hand over the bodies of Sushmita and her son to, her maternal family members stepped forward to perform the last rites.

Relatives said Sushmita lost her father at the age of two and was brought up by his joint family comprising nine brothers. They said eight uncles jointly took responsibility for her education, upbringing and marriage, and were now seeking accountability for her death.