Man apprehended after wife found dead at Lodhi Colony apartment complex
A 28-year-old woman was found dead after falling from a building at the Palika Kunj apartment complex in Lodhi Colony, Delhi, on July 4. The incident has led police to apprehend her husband, Arastu Sikka, following allegations of severe dowry harassment and physical abuse from the victim's family.
The victim, Akriti, married Sikka on April 24 after a three-year relationship. According to her family, she was the primary financial provider for her mother, Anu Suttar, and her younger brother following the death of her father, Ashok Suttar.
Police officials stated that a resident found Akriti's body at the Lodhi Colony complex and rushed her to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where she was declared dead on arrival. Investigators found her handbag, slippers, and dupatta on the rooftop of the three-story building, suggesting she jumped. While police initially treated the case as a suspected suicide, Akriti's family rejected this explanation.
On Monday, police apprehended Sikka after registering a case under sections 80 (dowry death) and 85 (cruelty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Lodhi Colony police station.
Akriti's uncle, Mananjay, alleged that Sikka constantly demanded a dowry of Rs 10 lakh and a car. He also claimed Sikka pressured Akriti to quit her job as a sales executive, objecting to her sending Rs 5,000 monthly to support her mother and brother. Though she initially resigned due to marital discord, Akriti had decided to rejoin work just days before her death.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), Akriti's mother alleged that Sikka began physically assaulting her daughter within a month of their marriage. On June 17, Sikka reportedly beat Akriti with a belt because her phone was on silent, accusing her of having an affair. Another assault allegedly occurred on June 29.
On the day of her death, Akriti called her mother to say she was returning to work and had left her office at 6:00 PM to head to her in-laws' home in Pushp Vihar. Sikka called her mother at 8:00 PM claiming Akriti was missing. When a friend tried calling her phone at 9:00 PM, a police officer answered and instructed the family to come to Lodhi Colony, where they learned of her death.
