A 28-year-old newly married woman, Akriti Sutar, was found dead at a residential society in Delhi’s Lodhi Colony on Saturday evening. Following allegations of dowry harassment made by her family, Delhi Police have arrested her husband, Arastu Sikka, and registered a case under the relevant provisions related to dowry death.
The investigation is ongoing, with police awaiting the post-mortem report and examining CCTV footage to determine the sequence of events leading to her death.
Husband Arrested in Dowry Death Investigation
Confirming the development, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal said that an FIR has been registered at Lodhi Colony Police Station and Akriti’s husband, Arastu Sikka, has been arrested.
Police said further investigation is underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Akriti Sutar Was Found Dead at Residential Society
Akriti Sutar, a Sales Executive with a private company in Chhatarpur, was found dead around 9 pm on Saturday at a residential society in Lodhi Colony, nearly 10 kilometres from her residence in Pushp Vihar.
According to preliminary police information, she is believed to have fallen from the building. However, officials have not confirmed the exact cause of death and are awaiting the findings of the post-mortem examination.
Investigators are also reviewing CCTV footage and other evidence to reconstruct her movements and identify everyone she met before the incident.
Family Rejects Suicide Theory
Akriti’s family has strongly disputed the possibility of suicide, describing her as mentally resilient and emotionally stable.
Her younger brother, Amay Sutar, said she would never have taken her own life. Family members also pointed out that she had gone to work on Saturday despite being on leave and had hosted a small gathering for her colleagues earlier in the day, saying her behaviour did not indicate signs of distress.
Dowry Harassment Allegations Against Husband and In-Laws
Akriti’s family has alleged that she was subjected to continuous dowry-related harassment after her marriage.
According to the family’s complaint, her husband Arastu Sikka and his relatives had allegedly demanded ₹20 lakh and repeatedly pressured and threatened her over dowry.
They also alleged that Arastu had threatened to kill her on multiple occasions and that the couple had a serious argument just two days before her death.
Police have registered the case based on these allegations and are investigating all aspects of the matter.
Married Just Over Two Months Ago
Akriti and Arastu Sikka got married on April 24 after reportedly being in a relationship for nearly eight years.
According to her family, Arastu is currently unemployed.
Investigation Continues
Delhi Police are awaiting the post-mortem report, forensic findings, and CCTV analysis to determine the exact cause and manner of Akriti Sutar’s death.
Authorities have stated that the investigation remains ongoing and that appropriate legal action will be taken based on the evidence collected.
BY JESSICA SABHARWAL
