The husband of the 29-year-old homemaker who was found dead at her in-laws’ home in Beleghata on Wednesday was arrested on Friday on charges of murder, mental and physical torture, and dowry demand.
The family of the deceased has accused Rohit Kumar Shaw and his family members of whipping Shweta Prasad with a belt and beating her up with an iron rod, police said.
“Om Prakash Prasad, father of the victim, has lodged a complaint against Rohit Shaw, Mina Devi Shaw, Rita Devi Shaw, Kishori Lal Shaw on the allegation that, these persons, being the husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law of Shweta Prasad Shaw, along with others, subjected her to both physical and mental torture for dowry. The victim’s family alleged that on Wednesday, they committed wilful murder by assaulting her with a belt and an iron rod,” joint commissioner (crime), Kolkata Police, Rupesh Kumar said.
Shweta, a mother of two girls, spoke to her father Om Prakash Prasad over the phone 15 minutes before she was found dead.
“She said she was being whipped with a belt and her head was banged on the wall after she had protested against her husband having a relationship with a divorced woman... By the time I went there, she was dead,” said Om Prakash.
The bereaved father said that when he reached his daughter’s place, her father-in-law asked him to sit.
“I was told to wait while my daughter’s mother-in-law went to call her. After that, they said that my daughter had committed suicide,” the father had said.
Shweta’s father-in-law refuted the allegations and said Shweta was found hanging in her room, which was locked from the inside.