Fresh CCTV recordings have emerged in the case of a 33-year-old woman from Noida who was found dead at her in-laws’ residence in Bhopal’s Katara Hills on May 12, adding a significant new dimension to the ongoing investigation into allegations of dowry harassment, assault, and murder.
In one clip, the woman is seen ascending the staircase inside her marital home. A second video shows her husband, a lawyer, apparently attempting to administer CPR on her on two separate occasions. Two other men are later seen assisting him in carrying the unresponsive woman downstairs. Another woman, believed to be the deceased’s mother-in-law—a retired judge—is also visible entering the frame and moving toward another room.
The woman’s family has accused her husband and mother-in-law of subjecting her to dowry-related harassment. She was reportedly in contact with her parents until around 10 pm on the day of the incident. In messages to her mother, she expressed feeling deeply trapped in her marital home and a desire to return to her maternal family. She described an environment where she was neither allowed to express sorrow nor find reasons to feel happy, and alleged that her husband accused her of infidelity when she expressed a wish to terminate her pregnancy.
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Her relatives have claimed that relentless mental pressure after marriage caused her to lose 15 kg. They have also raised concerns over perceived shortcomings in the initial local investigation and the post-mortem conducted at AIIMS Bhopal, demanding a fresh independent autopsy at AIIMS Delhi.
In a bail application that circulated on social media, the husband has claimed his wife was a psychiatric patient and drug addict who experienced withdrawal symptoms. The mother-in-law, speaking at a press conference following a court hearing, described the woman’s death as a “nightmare” for the family and attributed mental health issues and prior pressures from her natal family to the tragedy.
A Bhopal court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to the mother-in-law but rejected the husband’s plea. He remains absconding, and police have announced a ₹10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. A six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) is now handling the case.
An FIR has been registered against the husband and mother-in-law under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to dowry death. Misrod ACP Rajneesh Kashyap, heading the SIT, confirmed the probe is focusing on dowry harassment and abetment angles while noting investigative lapses, including the failure to send the alleged ligature material for forensic examination. The post-mortem indicated death by hanging, though the family points to injury marks suggesting otherwise.