Some fresh facts from the postmortem report in the death case of 24-year-old Deepika Nagar have raised more suspicion and outrage in the purported dowry death case from Greater Noida.
Deepika's internal injuries were extensive and consisted of brain injury, ruptured organs, and multiple contusions on her body, prompting serious questions among police authorities about the circumstances of her death. Deepika died on Sunday night from a fall from the terrace of her three-storey matrimonial home in Jalpura village in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh.
While her in-laws reportedly said she died because of a fall, her family has claimed that she was murdered in response to dowry demands and subjected to intense harassment after marriage. According to the postmortem report obtained by PTI, Deepika’s left nostril and mouth were bleeding.
According to reports, doctors saw hematoma blood leakage from major blood vessels in the middle and left areas of the brain. Reports also said her liver, spleen, and right kidney had been ruptured, and contusions had also taken place on her arm and thigh. Officials continued to store viscera for forensic analysis of whether other factors contributed to her demise.
Police officials said the cause of death was still unclear and that a final medical opinion had not been given. The case has drawn nationwide scrutiny after Deepika’s family accused her husband and in-laws of demanding a Toyota Fortuner SUV and an additional Rs 45-50 lakh as dowry.
Her father, Sanjay Nagar, said in a phone call on Sunday afternoon that Deepika told him she had been assaulted by her in-laws over dowry demands and was crying over it. In an effort to settle the matter, her father said that he and a number of relatives visited her matrimonial house later that evening. However, by 12.30 am, the family supposedly heard a cellphone call saying Deepika had fallen and was being taken away to Sharda Hospital.
“When I got to the hospital, I discovered my daughter lying dead,” her father said earlier, adding that Deepika’s body had several marks of injuries and wounds similar to screwdriver prints. The family has criticised the versions presented by the in-laws, claiming discrepancies in the precise locations of the events.
In the complaint, it was mentioned that the in-laws first said that Deepika fell from the stairs and subsequently claimed that she fell from the terrace. Deepika’s relatives have also claimed the injuries to her body did not look like a fall from height. Her aunt, Geeta Devi, said Deepika might have been shoved off the building and then assaulted again after surviving the fall. Police arrested Deepika’s husband, Hrithik, 26, and her father-in-law, Manoj.
Attempts are being made to track down the remaining accused registered in the FIR in terms of provisions concerning dowry death and cruelty. The postmortem examination was videographed, authorities said, and further charges may be made in response to forensic evidence and the progress of the investigation. The tragic case once again inspired debate on dowry violence and the well-being of women experiencing it among women in matrimonial homes.
