A sombre shadow fell over New Year's Eve celebrations in the national capital as a horrific incident of domestic violence unfolded in central Delhi. A 44-year-old man allegedly strangled his 37-year-old wife to death before ending his own life inside their Anand Parbat residence.
A Desperate Call for Help Goes Unanswered
The tragedy came to light after the victim, identified as Jyoti, sought help from her elder sister during a heated argument with her husband, Jai Prakash. The dispute reportedly escalated over Prakash's deteriorating mental health condition, as he had stopped taking his prescribed medicines and had not slept for several days. Fearing a repeat of a past incident, Jyoti reached out for assistance.
When her sister arrived at the couple's home in Gali number 17 of Nai Basti around 4 pm, Prakash refused to open the door. He claimed from inside that Jyoti was asleep. Alarmed, the sister returned an hour later, this time accompanied by Jyoti's brother, Kapil. Getting no response despite repeated calls, they alerted the police.
Police Intervention Reveals the Horror
The Anand Parbat police station received a PCR call at approximately 5:26 pm on Wednesday. Upon reaching the spot, officers found the room locked from the inside. After cutting open the door, they discovered a grim scene. Jyoti was found dead on the floor, while Prakash had also died by suicide.
The deceased were identified as factory helper Jai Prakash and homemaker Jyoti. Married in 2011, the couple is survived by their eight-year-old son, who was fortunately not at home during the incident. He had gone to celebrate the New Year at his tuition teacher's house.
Family's Grief and a History of Struggle
By Thursday morning, the narrow lanes of Anand Parbat were filled with grieving relatives. Jyoti's father, Ramchand, sat silently with tears streaming down his face, while her mother, Shyamvati, cried out her daughter's name outside the house.
Relatives revealed that Prakash had been battling depression for the past 13 years and had attempted suicide about two months prior. Jyoti had noticed similar warning signs—neglecting medication and sleeplessness—in the days leading to the final tragedy and was deeply worried.
Jyoti's maternal cousin, Chawli (48), who lived nearby, stated that Jyoti often confided in her. "Jyoti was my younger sister. I wanted to protect her," a distraught Chawli said, adding, "Now there is no one left to take care of her child."
The couple lived in a joint family setup with Prakash's younger brother Sonu, his wife Aarti, and their three-year-old daughter. Aarti, who was asleep with her daughter on the floor above, said she was terrified and had heard no shouting, noting that everything seemed normal in the morning.
In a heartbreaking plea, the family urged individuals struggling with mental health issues to seek professional help promptly to prevent such irreversible losses. They also disclosed that Prakash's elder brother had been mentally unwell and died of an illness two years ago.
The police have registered a case under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical need for mental health awareness and support systems within families and communities.
