A 29-year-old woman was found dead at her in-laws’ home in Beleghata on Thursday. Her parents alleged she was tortured by her husband and his family for giving birth to daughters and protesting his alleged extramarital affair.

Shweta Prasad Shaw spoke to her father, Omprakash Prasad, just 15 minutes before she was found dead at her in-laws’ residence on 7D/1B Beleghata Main Road, near her parents’ home.

“She said she was whipped with a belt and her head was slammed against a wall because she had protested her husband’s affair. I told her to stay calm and adjust with the family and that I would come to meet her. But by the time I arrived, she was dead,” Omprakash said. He said that she was also tortured for not having a son.

When he reached the house, Shweta’s father-in-law asked him to wait, saying Shweta and her husband Rohit had fought and their room was messy. “Her mother-in-law went to call her, but then they said she had committed suicide. I wish I had taken her seriously when she sought help,” he said, breaking down.

Shweta’s father-in-law denied the allegations, saying she was found hanging in her locked room.

“According to her husband’s statement, he left home around 7am as usual and
returned at 11am to eat. They had a fight over a cancelled trip to Meghalaya due to financial issues. After the fight, he went to another room,” said Kolkata Police Joint Commissioner (Crime) Rupesh Kumar.

Later, he found the room locked from inside, broke down the door, and found Shweta hanging from a fan with a dupatta, the cops said. The family told the police they brought down her body and took her to NRS Medical College and Hospital, where she was declared dead.

The police have registered an unnatural death case.