The Kandivali police has launched a manhunt for the husband and in-laws of Kritika Patel who have gone absconding. According to Kritika’s father’s complaint, apart from demanding money, her in-laws would also taunt her in public for giving birth to a girl
Earlier this week, Kritika had thrown her 2-year-old daughter Jaini, before jumping to her own death from an under-construction building. According to the Kandivali police, Kritika’s father reached the police station late on Thursday evening to register a complaint.
“In his complaint, Kritika’s father has said that her in-laws were pressuring her to get `8 lakh for furnishing the new flat that the family was going to get in the redeveloped Roop Nagar Society in Kandivali. Apart from this, Kritika was often taunted for giving birth to a girl, as the family wanted a boy. She had been subjected to some stinging remarks in this connection at a wedding reception in front of a lot of relatives some months ago,” said an officer with the Kandivali police.
The police has booked Kritika’s husband Kaushal Patel, his sister Tanvi and their parents Rama and Gopal under charges of dowry harassment and abetment to suicide. The police believes that they have sought refuge at a relative’s place and is conducting inquiries to find names and addresses of their relatives in Mumbai and outside the city as well.
The police is also worried that Kritika’s suicide note might pose a problem in the case. It specifically exonerates her husband and in-laws from any responsibility for her suicide, which is in direct conflict with her father’s complaint.
“The handwriting on the note has been confirmed as Kritika’s beyond doubt,” said Jaywant Hargude, assistant commissioner of police, Malwani division.