New York: Tortured for having daughters, UP woman kills herself
A woman from Uttar Pradesh residing in Queens, New York, allegedly died by suicide last week after bearing years of domestic violence for giving birth to two daughters. The incident came to light after a video of the deceased Mandeep Kaur, recorded moments before she hanged herself, went viral. The 30-year-old Sikh woman was reportedly tortured over dowry and not bearing a son.
Moved to Queens in 2015, abused for 8 years
Kaur moved to the United States from UP's Bijnor in 2015 after her marriage to Ranjodhbeer Singh Sandhu. In the shocking video, Kaur revealed details of the torture she suffered at the hands of her husband for over eight years. Their two daughters are aged six and four currently. Sandhu has been booked by the UP Police, and American authorities have started their investigation.
'Harassed for not giving birth to a son'
According to Kaur's family, Sandhu began abusing her soon after they moved to New York. The violence reportedly got much worse after the birth of their daughters. Kaur's sister said that Sandhu and his family harassed her for years for not giving birth to a son. The groom's family also allegedly demanded Rs. 50 lakh from Kaur and her family to raise the daughters.
What do Kaur's family members say?
According to her father, Jaspal Singh, Kaur had shared a video of the abuse many years ago. "We filed a case in New York that time, but she said she didn't want further action," her father said. However, according to her brother, Sandhu's family "begged" Kaur to forgive him at the time. Kaur's family is now demanding the custody of her daughters.
Harrowing video reveals details of torture
Kaur allegedly died by suicide on Wednesday (August 3). In the video recorded minutes before her death, she said, "My husband and in-laws are responsible for my death. They didn't let me live. He has been beating me for the last eight years." She went on to claim that Sandhu was involved in extra-marital relationships. "I tried my best...I can't tolerate the torture anymore."
Watch: Kaur recalls years of torture moments before suicide
Indian consulate reacts, police probe underway
After her video shook millions of Indians, the Consulate General of India in New York tweeted, "We are deeply saddened by the death of Mandeep Kaur in Queens... We are in touch with the US authorities at the Federal and local level as well as the community." As per media reports, the New York Police Department is investigating the case as a homicide.
What are the charges against Sandhu?
The UP Police has registered a case against Sandhu at Bijnor's Najibabad Police Station. He was charged under IPC Sections 306 (Abetment of suicide), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 498-A (Domestic violence), and 342 (wrongful confinement) and the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, an official told ANI.
Domestic violence faced by NRI women
One NRI wife calls home for help every eight hours, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. Between 2017-20, the MEA received nearly 4,000 domestic abuse complaints from NRI wives, and the government has registered 50,000 cases of abuse under IPC Section 498-A, per EPW.
