Bhubaneswar, Sept. 6: A 44-year-old gynaecologist, also the wife of an eminent paediatrician, today allegedly committed suicide by jumping from the terrace of an eight-storey building in Saheed Nagar.

Sweta Padma Mishra, mother of a 12-year-old boy, was employed with a private hospital near Rupali Square in Saheed Nagar. She jumped from the terrace of the 90feet high building around 1.40pm.

Eyewitnesses said they first heard a sound following which they discovered that the woman was lying in a pool of blood on the ground. "We rang up her husband and also rushed her to a nearby private hospital where she was declared dead on arrival," said a resident of the apartment.

Her husband, Arijit Mohapatra, 45, who also works in the same hospital, was not at home when the incident happened. Sweta was allegedly suffering from depression, but the reasons are not yet clear.

A police official said the deceased was with her son in her flat on the third floor of the apartment. She later went to the terrace and took the fatal leap. A team of forensic experts have reached the spot to collect evidence.

They have found a pair of slippers and her spectacles from the terrace.

Though Arijit's family said it could be a case of suicide as she was suffering from bouts of depression, Sweta's brother alleged that her in-laws were torturing her for dowry.

"They had demanded a huge amount of cash before marriage and their demands continued even after so many years. A few years ago, Arijit thought of setting up a private hospital. When we expressed our inability to meet their demands they began torturing her mentally," said Bimal Mishra, Sweta's brother.

She did her MBBS from SCB Medical College in Cuttack and her postgraduation in gynaecology from MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. Sweta had been married to Arijit for the past 16 years. Her husband also studied at SCB College.

Deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi said they were looking at all possible angles. "We are waiting for the post-mortem report. We will also question the family members and her in-laws apart from her husband," said Bhoi.

On June 12, a 50-year-old chemical engineer had committed suicide by jumping from the terrace of the head of the directorate building commonly known as Natala.

The deceased, Pratap Chandra Swain, a native of Nilagiri in Balasore district, was undergoing treatment at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar for acute body pain.