The Father and stepmother of a 17-year-old girl were arrested for allegedly abetting and covering up her suicide at their home in Thane district. Advertising The girl allegedly ended her life by hanging from the ceiling because her parents did not allow her to marry her boyfriend. While the incident took place on December 20, 2018, the couple was arrested only last week after the girl’s maternal uncle lodged a complaint. After the incident, the parents hurriedly cremated the girl despite residents in their locality advising them to inform police. A Class 11 student, the girl lived with her father and stepmother. The girl’s biological mother had allegedly committed suicide 12 years ago and had accused her husband of mentally harassing her. Her father married his second wife six years ago and has a daughter with her. According to police, the girl was in a relationship with an 18-year-old man in their locality. “The couple became close over the past year. A few months ago, he gave her a mobile phone to stay in touch with him. When the girl’s father found out that she was using the phone, he destroyed it and forbade her from speaking to the man again,” said a police officer. The officer added that the father ended the girl’s schooling last year and confined her to their home. “But when the girl remained determined to marry her boyfriend, her parents sought help from relatives and asked them to counsel her,” the officer further said. Police said the girl was upset because her parents continued to oppose the match. Driven by that, she hanged herself from the ceiling in her bedroom and left behind a note stating that she held her parents responsible for her actions, added police. The officer added, “After they discovered her body, the stepmother held the girl’s legs while the father cut the dupatta suspending her from the ceiling. They hurriedly cremated her the day after.” While the parents chose to ignore neighbours’ advice to inform police about the girl’s suicide, it all came up when a person from the locality contacted the girl’s maternal uncle. “We began the investigation when we received the uncle’s complaint and recovered the suicide note from the girl’s schoolbag. We have also recorded statements from residents in the area who said they were aware of the situation at her house and that she had killed herself,” said the officer. On January 4, police booked the parents under sections of abetment to suicide and arrested them. They have been remanded to judicial custody. Advertising Police said this was the second suicide in the household, following the girl’s mother’s death in 2006. “The father was arrested even then, but was acquitted. This time, we have gathered strong evidence against him and his second wife,” added the officer.

Stay updated with all the Mumbai Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.