Just about a week into her marriage, Neelam Gupta, 21, of Bally, Howrah, leapt to her death from the terrace of a five-storeyed apartment block in which her parents lived.

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening, during her first visit to her parents after marriage.

Only seven days ago, Neelam was married to Sanjiv, a local businessman. Sanjiv was not present when Neelam killed herself. He had dropped her at her parents’ and left.

At around 7 in the sultry evening, Neelam went to the fifth-floor terrace. Soon, her neighbours ran out of their apartments on hearing a thud. They found Neelam in a pool of blood. She was taken to Howrah District Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The local police at Bally were informed, and they arrived to conduct investigations. They have not ruled out the possibility of suicide.

District superintendent of police (SP) Mihir Bhattacharya expressed surprise at Neelam’s falling from the terrace, which had three-foot railings.

“We are interrogating Neelam’s family to find out if she was under duress, which may have compelled her to commit suicide,” Bhattacharya said.

Neelam’s father Mahesh Goenka could not specify any possible reason for her death. “She was married after much negotiations and with complete approval of her in-laws. We never dreamt that she could commit suicide,” he lamented.

SP Bhattacharya said Neelam’s body has been sent for post-mortem and the reason for the death would be clear after that.