Jodhpur lecturer burns 3-year-old daughter, herself over alleged dowry harassment
What's the story
A school lecturer in Rajasthan's Jodhpur district allegedly died by suicide after setting herself and her three-year-old daughter on fire. The incident took place in Sarnada village under the Dangiyawas police station area on Friday afternoon. The deceased have been identified as Sanju Bishnoi and her daughter Yashasvi. While Yashasvi died on the spot, Sanju succumbed to her injuries during treatment on Saturday morning.
Body dispute
Neighbors noticed smoke rising from house
Reportedly, neither Sanju's husband, Dilip Bishnoi, nor her in-laws were present at home during the incident. The police and family members were alerted after neighbors noticed smoke rising from the house. After Sanju's death on Saturday morning, a dispute ensued between her parents and in-laws over handing over the body for cremation. Eventually, after a post-mortem examination, both mother and daughter were cremated together.
Harassment allegations
Dilip, in-laws booked for harassment
Sanju's parents have accused Dilip and his family of harassing their daughter over dowry demands. An FIR has been registered against Dilip and his in-laws on the basis of her father's complaint. The complaint alleges harassment and abetment to suicide against Dilip. The police have collected evidence from the scene with assistance from a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team. Her mobile phone has also been seized.
Note discovery
Suicide note recovered
A suicide note has been recovered from the scene, naming Dilip, his mother, father, and sister-in-law as harassers. A man named Ganpat Singh was also mentioned in the note as a harasser. According to Bhaskar English, the pair married around 10 years ago. Sanju was a lecturer at the Senior Secondary School in Fitkasni village.