Delhi Police arrests husband in Lodhi Colony dowry death case

New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) Delhi Police on Monday arrested the husband of a 28-year-old newlywed woman who died after allegedly falling from the third floor of a building in Lodhi Colony, officials said. The accused has been identified as Arastu Sikka. Meanwhile, the police have accessed the Google search history of the deceased, Akriti, who had allegedly searched "how to die easily" in May, sources said. Akriti, a resident of Pushp Vihar, had resumed her job as a sales executive at a private company in Chhatarpur on July 1 and had also thrown a small party for her marriage at the office, her brother told PTI. The brother alleged that she had been subjected to continuous harassment and abuse by her husband and in-laws over dowry demands after her marriage on April 24. "They warned her that if she disclosed anything to me. She would either be harmed or lose her job," he claimed. "She got married just two months ago. Since then, her husband and in-laws had been torturing her for dowry. She was mentally harassed regularly," he told PTI. "She left her office in the evening. Her phone got switched off at 6.18 pm. We started searching for her immediately. Around 8 pm, we tried calling again, and a police officer answered the call and informed us that she had been admitted to a hospital," he said. Another relative of the deceased said, "We have no idea what she was doing there. As far as we know, she did not know anyone living there. This angle must be investigated thoroughly." The deceased was found critically injured after the alleged fall from the NDMC residential complex in Palika Kunj on Saturday. She was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where doctors declared her dead. The accused was arrested after a case under the relevant provisions relating to dowry death was registered at Lodhi Colony police station, they said. The police said the death occurred within seven years of marriage, following which mandatory inquest proceedings were conducted by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). Demanding strict action against those responsible, he said the family wanted a fair investigation and justice for Akriti. A senior police officer said investigators were examining every aspect of the case, including the circumstances that led the woman to the location. "We are trying to ascertain why the woman chose to visit that area. Her mobile phone records, call detail records, and other digital evidence are being analysed to establish her movements and contacts before the incident. CCTV footage from the area is also being examined," the officer said. Earlier, the victim's family had rejected the possibility of suicide and alleged that her husband and in-laws had murdered her over dowry-related demands. The woman's brother had later alleged that the incident was being projected as a case of suicide to shield those responsible. The police said the investigation is continuing and all angles are being examined. PTI BM BM APL APL