Man booked for wife’s death

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A day after a 26-year-old woman hanged herself in the presence of her husband as he helplessly watc-hed through a webcam, the Juhu police booked him and his parents for alleged dowry harassment and dowry death.
On Wednesday night, the deceased Shobhana Surti was video chatting with her husband Swapnil Surve (28). Shobhana was at her residence in Annaswami chawl near Juhu, while her husband was at his home in Vile Parle (east).
Shobhana and Swapnil were reportedly going through a rough patch and often fought with each other. On the fateful day, the duo again got into a heated argument, after which Shobhana threatened to commit suicide and later on went ahead with it.
A helpless Swapnil tried contacting her sister Bhavika who was in Jogeshwari, but by the time she reached home, Shobhana had passed away. Shobhana was rushed to Cooper Hospital, which declared her brought dead.
During investigation, the police found out that the couple had a court marriage around November last year. Before that, they were to hold a reception in April last year, but the wedding was called off because Swapnil’s parents allegedly demanded `25 lakh as dowry. Even after the court marriage, the couple lived separately as the dowry demand was not met.
Senior police inspector, Arun Bhagat of Juhu police station said, “We have received a complaint from Shobhana’s father, based on which we have registered an FIR under Sections 498A for dowry harassment and 304B for dowry death under the Indian Penal Code. We are probing the case before going ahead with the arrest.”
Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty, who works with a suicide intervention centre, said, “Suicide is also an act of anger and punishment. When frustrations are shared with friends, such acts may decrease.”