Delhi Police Arrest Man for Dowry Death After Newlywed Falls From Lodhi Colony Building
The Delhi Police have arrested a man on dowry death charges following the suspicious death of his 28-year-old newlywed wife in central Delhi's Lodhi Colony. The body of the deceased, identified as Akriti Sutar, was discovered on July 4 after she allegedly fell from the third floor of a building.
The victim's husband, Arastu Sikka, was arrested after the incident. The couple had married in April following a two-year courtship.
A witness who discovered the body and placed a call to the police control room at 7:26 PM raised several concerns regarding the circumstances of the death. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the witness stated that Akriti's legs were bent at an unusual angle and there was no trace of blood at the scene.
The witness also pointed out that the building where she was found was almost vacant, with no residents living on the second or third floors. He questioned how Akriti entered that specific building and knew its terrace door was unlocked when most building terraces in the area remain locked, suggesting the possibility of a prior recce or that she was brought there by someone.
Akriti's younger brother, Amay Sutar, alleged that his sister faced continuous harassment from her husband's family after the wedding. According to Amay, the family had initially agreed before the marriage that Akriti could continue working, but they later reversed their stance.
Amay further alleged that Akriti was repeatedly taunted for not bringing basic household items, such as a bed, sofa, wardrobe, refrigerator, or air-conditioner, from her parental home. He claimed that the husband's family had indirectly demanded Rs 10-20 lakh.
According to her brother, Akriti sought to return to work to earn money and resolve the conflict herself, hoping to avoid burdening her family. Her father had passed away in 2019. Akriti had recently resumed her job as a sales executive at a private firm in south Delhi's Chhatarpur on July 1, just four days before she was found dead.
