A 39-year-old man died by suicide after jumping from the 15th floor of his apartment in a condominium in Sector 87, Faridabad, in the presence of police and his family members following a dispute with his wife over keeping his mother with him, police said on Monday.
The deceased, originally from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, worked at a reputed hospital in Sector 44, Gurugram, as a radiology technician and lived with his mother and six-year-old son, police said. His wife, who had filed for divorce in a family court at Saket, Delhi, lived separately in Noida and worked at a pharmaceutical company there, they added.
According to officials, the incident took place between 1.30am and 2am on Saturday, shortly after the wife contacted the police control room seeking help following a heated argument with her husband. “An emergency response vehicle reached the spot and police personnel were quizzing the woman, who was already downstairs, to know what had happened. The woman appeared to be drunk that time. No medical test was carried out, but there was a strong smell of alcohol coming from her while she was speaking, and she appeared to be in a delirious state,” said inspector Sangram Dahiya, station house officer of Bhupani police station.
“Within minutes, the woman’s husband jumped from his apartment in front of his mother and son and died after falling mere a couple of feet from the spot where the woman and the police were standing,” Dahiya added.
Inspector Dahiya said, “The statements of family members of the deceased have been recorded. However, we are yet to record the statements of the opposite parties. Afterwards, legal action will be taken.”
A police official privy to the investigation said the deceased’s family alleged that the dispute stemmed from his wish to keep his elderly mother at home for the better care of the child, which his wife opposed. “She had even assaulted her mother-in-law on a couple of occasions, as alleged by the family members of the deceased in a statement to police,” the official said.
The couple, married for nine years, were contesting both a divorce case and child custody proceedings. The man’s family further alleged that his wife, her brother, and her parents “continuously harassed him to the extent that he died by suicide.”
Investigators said the couple had previously lived in Noida but the deceased moved to Faridabad six months ago to live with his son and mother after growing differences. However, the woman’s family alleged that the deceased was a habitual drinker who often became aggressive under the influence of alcohol, leading to repeated domestic disputes.
Police said there had been no formal complaint of domestic abuse or assault ever filed anywhere till now, either by the woman or the deceased.
On the complaint of the deceased’s uncle, police registered an abetment of suicide case against the wife, her two brothers, and her parents at Bhupani police station on Saturday.