MP woman dies suicide after threats over sexual harassment complaint

A 22-year-old woman allegedly died suicide, days after filing a complaint of sexual harassment against her neighbour in Madhya Pradesh’s Sidhi drict, police said on Saturday, adding that her family has alleged that she was threatened the accused and his father. Later in the day, the accused were arrested.A day after the woman’s death, her family alleged on Saturday that she was raped but the police regered a first information report (FIR) only for sexual harassment (under section 354A of Indian Penal Code).Sidhi superintendent of police Mukesh Shrivastava ordered a probe into the matter and booked the accused, identified as Ramnaresh Saket (24), and his father Motilal Saket (52) for abetment of suicide under IPC Section 306.In the FIR, the woman said Ramnaresh had been stalking her for a long time. Last week, he allegedly touched her inappropriately in her house and fled after she cried for help.“On Thursday, the woman filed a complaint of sexual harassment against her neighbour at Bahri police station,” said Sidhi additional superintendent of police (ASP) Anjulata Patle. “She also regered her statement before the court that she was sexually harassed.”After the woman died suicide on Friday, her family held a protest alleging that the accused had raped her. They also blamed the delay in police action for the woman’s death.“When she filed the complaint with police, the accused and his father threatened her of killing our whole family. Upset with it, my ser took this extreme step,” said the woman’s brother. “The delay in taking action police resulted in the death of my ser.”“Even while regering the statement before the court, the woman informed only about sexual harassment,” said the ASP. “She might be under pressure, so we have sent her viscera and swab from her private parts to forensic laboratory to verify the allegations made the family.”Further investigation is on, added the ASP.