'Made...brother hear screams': SWAT commando's family alleges brutal dowry harassment
What's the story
The family of Kajal Chaudhary, a 27-year-old Delhi Police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) commando, has accused her husband, Ankur, of harassing her for dowry. Kajal died on Tuesday after being hospitalized with severe injuries. The incident took place in southwest Delhi's Mohan Garden on January 22 when Ankur allegedly assaulted Kajal with a dumbbell during an argument over dowry demands and financial issues.
Arrest and allegations
Family alleges ongoing dowry harassment, husband arrested
Kajal's family claims she was subjected to harassment right after their marriage by Ankur's family despite their love marriage in 2023. They allege that demands continued even after giving valuables at the wedding. Kajal's brother Nikhil, a constable at Parliament Street police station, said he heard his sister scream over a phone call. "Kajal called me up when the argument escalated," Nikhil told TOI, adding that while he was still on the phone, Ankur began hitting her with the dumbbell.
Ongoing harassment
Family claims dowry harassment continued post-wedding
Kajal's father, Rakesh, said she was being subjected to constant dowry demands, even during pregnancy. "We gave them a Bullet bike, gold jewellery and cash at the wedding, but they said our son would have got a car (had he married someone else). Later, my daughter even arranged a car, but they didn't stop harassing her. We couldn't even speak freely to her," he was quoted as saying by PTI. Kajal was four months pregnant when she was killed.
Legal proceedings
Ankur's arrest and murder charge
After the incident, Ankur was arrested by Delhi Police on January 22. The couple has a one-and-a-half-year-old son. Her brother said the couple kept shifting residences due to disputes over finances and dowry demands from Ankur's family. "She...used to live at Ganaur (in Sonipat) with her in-laws. But due to such disputes, they shifted to a flat in Mohan Garden. But after some time, they returned to Ganaur as Ankur insisted on staying with his family," Nikhil told Indian Express.