Jamshedpur, Aug. 21: Torture by her husband and in-laws allegedly drove a 30-year-old woman to hang herself to death at Bara flats in Baridih area under Sidhgora police station last night.

The woman, identified as Nitu Tripathi alias Gudia, was found hanging in her bedroom and was rushed to the Tata Main Hospital where she was declared brought dead.

The Sidhgora police today arrested the husband, Nikhilesh Tripathi, and his younger brother Akhilesh on the basis of the complaint lodged by the victim?s father and remanded them in judicial custody.

The victim?s family has alleged that the woman?s in-laws had forced her to commit suicide over dowry. The other accused of the family, including mother-in-law and sister-in-law of the victim, are absconding.

Tripathi, who is working with a private company, however, refuted the allegations. ?We shared a good relationship and my family is financially stable. We have no reason to ask for any dowry,? he said, before being arrested by the police this morning.

According to an FIR lodged by Ramashankar Tiwari, the victim?s father, his daughter was hanged by her husband with help of other family members on Saturday.

Nitu was married to Nikhilesh on June 14, 2003. Just after the marriage, the groom?s family started asking for Rs 1 lakh as dowry. It was in addition to Rs 5 lakh cash, which was given to the family by the victim?s father at the time of the marriage. ?Nitu was also not allowed to meet our relatives saying that this will be possible only after we gave them the amount,? alleged the bereaved father.

The neighbours of the victim also confirmed the sour relation between the families. ?We have rarely seen anyone from Nitu?s family. This was because of the conflict between the families,? said one of the neighbours.

Officer-in-charge of Sidhgora police station Sakaldev Ram said the preliminary investigations showed that the husband and his family members are guilty.

?It seems that the girl was forced to commit suicide. However, nothing can be confirmed until we get the post-mortem report,? he said.

Sources in the forensic department of MGM Medical College Hospital said this may be a case of forced suicide. It appears to be case of hanging but based on the marks around the neck and appearance of the body, the possibility of forced hanging can?t be ruled out,? said sources at the forensic department.