A tragic incident in Ara has exposed the deep-rooted issue of smartphone addiction in society, as a 22-year-old pregnant woman allegedly ended her life by consuming poison after her husband refused to give her his smartphone to watch videos and reels. The deceased, identified as Parvati Devi, was the mother of two children and died on Saturday, police confirmed.
Details of the Incident
Parvati Devi was married to Govind Mahto, who worked in Rajkot, Gujarat. She lived with her husband's family while he was away. On the day of the incident, a video recorded by Govind minutes before the tragedy surfaced, showing the couple quarreling over the cellphone. In the footage, Parvati repeatedly demanded the phone and attempted to snatch it from her husband, who firmly refused.
According to family members, the argument began in the morning and escalated over several hours. When Govind left the house, his in-laws informed him that Parvati had consumed poison. She was rushed to Sadar Hospital in Ara, where doctors declared her brought dead.
Husband's Statement
Speaking to media at the hospital, Govind said, "We had a quarrel over the mobile phone in the morning. She was asking me to give her my mobile for watching videos. But I didn't give her." The body was sent for post-mortem examination.
The deceased's younger brother, Dhannu Kumar, added, "Both my sister and her husband had been quarreling over the mobile phone since morning. When my brother-in-law refused to give his mobile, my sister asked him to return the Rs 1,000 she had given him to buy a bicycle in Rajkot. I even advised him to give his mobile to my sister, but he turned a deaf ear to my pleadings."
Police Investigation
Police have not yet lodged a complaint or FIR in the case. SHO of Town police station, Devraj Rai, stated, "An inquiry will be conducted after registration of a case of unnatural death under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS)."
This incident underscores the growing dependency on smartphones and the need for addressing digital addiction, especially within family dynamics. The community remains in shock over the preventable loss of life.
