Khandwa woman, 25, dies after consuming poison; brother alleges in-laws forced abortion

A 25-year-old married woman died after consuming poison in Sehejla village of Khandwa district. She died on Thursday morning while undergoing treatment at the district hospital. The deceased has been identified as Bindiya Giri, wife of Praveen Puri.

Bindiya lived in Sehejla. Her parental home is in Salya village, under the Harsud police station area. She was married about two years ago and has an 8-month-old son, who is currently with his father. Her husband farms and also runs a grocery shop in the village.

According to Bindiya's brother, Rajesh Giri, he had gone to meet his sister at her in-laws' house on Wednesday morning on Bhai Dooj. During their conversation, Bindiya told him she was pregnant for the second time, but her in-laws did not want a second child. Rajesh alleges that the in-laws gave his sister abortion medicine and made her miscarry. He said this had left her under mental stress and that she was also being harassed.

Rajesh said Bindiya wanted to tell him more about her troubles, but her mother-in-law came in and took her to a room. Rajesh then left.

According to Rajesh, he was on the road after leaving his sister's in-laws' house when Bindiya made a video call to him at around 6 pm. He was driving at the time, so he said he would talk later and call back. Some time later he received word that his sister had consumed a poisonous substance. Family members took her to the Khandwa district hospital, where she died on Thursday morning.

Her father, Dinesh Giri, said he received a phone call between about 8 pm and 8.30 pm informing him that Bindiya had consumed a poisonous substance and had been brought to a hospital in Khandwa. He reached the hospital as soon as he got the news and stayed there through the night. He said his daughter had been facing problems at her in-laws' house. He has demanded a thorough investigation into the causes of her death.

Police have sent the body for post-mortem and registered a case of unnatural death. The cause of death is being investigated. Further action will be taken on the basis of the post-mortem report and statements of family members. Police will also look into the brother's allegations that the in-laws caused an abortion and harassed her.