Sunetra Pawar speaks to Payal Zambare's mother, to urge CM to fast-track probe

Pune: Nationalist Congress Party president and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has said she is reviewing the Payal Zambare case regularly. She will discuss with the Chief Minister bringing the investigation onto a fast track.

Pawar, the Guardian Minister of Pune district, spoke to Payal's mother by phone on Thursday, November 5. She listened to the mother carefully and said she was keeping track of the case continuously. She also assured the mother that she would pass on the family's demands to the Chief Minister and follow up on them.

According to Pawar, the investigation is under way and she has also spoken to the Superintendent of Police in this connection. Consoling the mother, she said, "I can understand your feelings. I am a mother too. Such incidents should never happen, but unfortunately this one has. In this difficult hour, I can understand your feelings and your pain." She said she would speak to the Chief Minister about taking up the case on a fast track so that the investigation proceeds in the right direction and more quickly.

The background of the case: Payal Akshay Zambare was found dead on Monday, November 2, in a flat in Akshay Heights society in Mukundnagar, Pune. Initial information suggested suspected suicide by hanging. Swargate police reached the spot as soon as they were informed, took the body into custody and sent it to Sassoon Hospital for a post-mortem.

After news of Payal's death, her parental family made serious allegations against her in-laws. Relatives suspect it may not be suicide but foul play.

According to the complaint by Payal's parental family, she had been subjected to continuous mental and physical harassment at her in-laws' home since the marriage. It is alleged that her husband Akshay Zambare, mother-in-law, father-in-law and sister-in-law demanded money and gold. Relatives allege that around Diwali every year, a demand was made for five to ten tolas of gold from her parental home, and that such a demand was made this time too. The complaint claims her family could not meet the demand because of their financial condition. Payal's family are farmers and, because of drought conditions, had asked for time until the next season, yet the harassment continued. The family alleges the demands were used to put mental pressure on Payal. The truth of all these allegations will emerge from the police investigation.

According to initial police information, Payal had a quarrel with her mother-in-law on Sunday, November 1, and left the house afterwards. The search for her began on the morning of Monday, November 2. While the family and relatives were looking for her, she was found dead in a flat in Akshay Heights society in Mukundnagar. Police reportedly found no suicide note at the spot. The exact circumstances behind the death, the quarrel at home and the allegations of harassment are therefore being investigated.

Swargate police have arrested Payal's husband Akshay Zambare. A case has been registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against husband Akshay, mother-in-law Mangal Arvind Zambare, father-in-law Arvind Zambare and sister-in-law Akshata.