Husband, mother-in-law arrested for abetment

Domestic violence forced woman to kill self and 3-year-old son in Kurla

Vinoba Bhave Nagar police in Kurla arrested husband and mother-in-law of Anuja Vanjari (28), who killed her threeyear-old son and hanged herself to death. Police had booked the husband, Deepak, on Feb 13 and the arrest was made on Feb 15. The arrested duo was produced in a local magistrate court and were remanded to police custody.

Five days after the incident, police arrested her mother-inlaw and husband for abetment to suicide and criminal intent with a married woman. Anuja was harshly beaten up by her mother-in-law and husband on a daily basis and was a victim of domestic violence.

“Interrogation of the neighbours confirmed the allegations levelled by Anuja’s parents against Deepak and his mother. After quizzing for several hours, the duo confessed of domestic violence and harassment, following which the arrest was made,” said a police officer on request of confidentiality.

On the evening of Feb 11, Anuja first smothered her three-year-old son to death and then committed suicide by hanging herself with a dupatta on an iron rod at their residence in Kurla.

Deepak and Anuja had got into a fight at a wedding function on Monday afternoon, after which Anuja is suspected to have killed her son and committed suicide, said police. Uttam Kolekar, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kurla Division) said, “Deepak was an alcoholic and used to beat up his wife in an inebriated state. He also confessed of his mother hitting Anuja on several occasions after she refused to work due to weakness. Deepak and his mother have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to abetment to suicide (section 309) and detaining a married woman with criminal intent (section 498).”