In a shocking incident in Bahraich district, the bodies of a 35-year-old woman and her two minor daughters were recovered from a pond on Sunday, just meters from their home. The tragic discovery has led to serious allegations of dowry-linked harassment and murder from the woman's parental family.
Family Alleges Harassment Over Not Having a Son
The deceased have been identified as Nisha Gupta (35) and her daughters Misti (7) and Khushboo (2). The incident took place in Payagpur town, under the Payagpur police station limits. Nisha's father, Ramchandra Gupta, a resident of Shivpur village, has made grave accusations against her in-laws.
He alleged that his daughter faced constant taunts and harassment from her husband's family for not bearing a male child. "My daughter was subjected to constant taunts and harassment by her in-laws. She complained to me several times about being beaten," he stated. Nisha was married to Vishnu Gupta of Payagpur approximately 12 years ago. The couple had three daughters in total: Lado (10), Misti (7), and Khushboo (2).
Sequence of Events and Police Action
According to police, Ramchandra Gupta received the devastating information around 1 am on Sunday. Vishnu Gupta told investigators that Nisha had used his mobile phone to speak to someone around 8 pm on Saturday. He claimed she later left the house with their two younger daughters while he was having dinner. Their eldest daughter was sleeping with her grandfather at the time.
When Nisha and the girls did not return, the family began a search. The search led them to a pond behind their house, where they spotted a child's jacket floating. Police were immediately alerted. Around 2 am, police teams recovered all three bodies from the pond and took them to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
Investigation Underway, Cause of Death Awaited
Police have registered an FIR against the husband, Vishnu Gupta, and his parents based on the complaint filed by Nisha's father. All three have been taken into custody for questioning. Circle Officer of Payagpur, Harshita Tiwari, provided details on the ongoing investigation.
"It was not yet clear whether Nisha died by suicide along with her daughters or whether the deaths were homicidal," Tiwari said. She emphasized that the exact cause of death will be determined after post-mortem examinations. The police are also rigorously questioning the husband and other family members to piece together the events that led to this tragedy.
The officer confirmed that the bodies have been sent for autopsy and that further legal action will be based on the findings of the forensic and post-mortem reports. The case has sent shockwaves through the local community, highlighting the persistent and deadly issue of dowry-related harassment in the region.
