JAMMU: A 38-year-old woman was cremated at her in-laws’ residence in Sardari Kalan area of Sai village under Police Station Arnia on Sunday amid heavy police deployment, after her family members and local residents staged a protest following her death under mysterious circumstances.
The deceased, identified as Sushma Devi, wife of ex-serviceman Karnail Singh, was found hanging from a ceiling fan inside her in-laws’ residence on Saturday, officials said. Her body was subsequently shifted to Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu, for post-mortem examination.
Police registered FIR No. 59/2026 under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), pertaining to abetment of suicide, at Police Station Arnia and initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
Following the post-mortem, members of Sushma’s family carrying her body gathered outside her in-laws’ residence and staged a protest, demanding justice. Her father, Sagar Singh, alleged that his daughter had been subjected to dowry-related harassment and claimed that she had been murdered.
Singh further alleged that three complaints concerning domestic violence had previously been lodged against his daughter’s in-laws at Police Station Arnia, but claimed that no action had been taken. He also alleged that he had recently purchased a Royal Enfield motorcycle for his son-in-law to meet dowry demands, but that the alleged harassment and violence continued.
As the protest intensified, heavy police deployment was made in the area. However, amid the gathering, local residents arranged a funeral pyre within the premises of the in-laws’ residence and cremated the woman in the evening.
Eyewitnesses claimed that nearly 10,000 people had gathered at the spot, making it difficult for police to prevent the cremation from taking place on the premises. Police are continuing their investigation into the death and the allegations raised by the deceased woman’s family.
