Thane: Woman constable ends life by consuming acid

Thane: A newly-wed woman police constable attached to the Thane Police headquarters allegedly committed suicide at her residence near in Thane by consuming acid, police said on Monday.

Sr PI K N Gete of Kolsewadi Police Station said that 23-year-old Shaila Dande, who ended her life on Monday was married to one Pandurang Kalu Dande (30), an advocate in the Bombay High Court, on June 7, 2015.

Constable Shaila Dande

According to police, after marriage, the young woman from Ahmednagar had relocated and shifted to Kalyan near here. The woman was allegedly being harassed by her husband and sister-in-law following which she took the extreme step.

"Her husband used to trouble her and taunt her for not getting any gold or furniture after marriage. The family members even suspected her character," said Kalyanji Gete, police inspector of Kolsewadi police station. They had even snatched her mobile phone recently.

On Sunday morning, after an argument, when no one was present in the house, Shaila consumed the acid. When her family members came home, nobody answered the door. That is when they broke in and saw her lying on the floor. She was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Kalyan where she was declared dead.

Police had initially registered a case of accidental death but the parents of the victim alleged harassment after which a FIR was registered and the duo was booked under sections 306 (abetment of suicide), 498 A (dowry harassment and domestic violence) 406 (criminal breach of trust), 323, 504 rw 34 of IPC.

"We are investigating the roles of the accused and will arrest her husband and his sister," said Gete. They have been booked for dowry death and abatement to suicide.

-With inputs from PTI