JOIN USA 26-year-old Congress councillor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation and her 18-month-old daughter were found dead at their house in West Delhi’s Nangloi area on Thursday.
Police suspect the woman killed her daughter before committing suicide by hanging. The deceased have been identified as Satyam Yadav, Nangloi East Councillor, and her daughter Vanshika.
Satyam had married a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) schoolteacher Pawan Yadav in 2010, and was living with her in-laws in a two-storey house in Nangloi C-Block.
Her father-in-law Lalaram holds a senior post in Block Congress Committee. According to police, Satyam was found hanging from a ceiling fan in her room on the second floor at 7:30 am.
Pawan had slept in the other room of his unwell mother on Wednesday night. “Satyam’s sister-in-law knocked on her door on Thursday morning, but got no response. She then informed Pawan who broke open the door and found Saytam hanging,” a police officer said.
Vanshika was also found unconscious on the bed. Family members rushed the mother and daughter to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead upon arrival. Pawan’s family has ruled out any foul play, but Satyam’s family alleged that she was killed by her in-laws over dowry demands. According to Satyam’s brother-in-law Sunil, her in-laws used to harass her regularly over dowry.
He also claimed that Pawan’s family was demanding a Honda City car and Rs 10 lakh. They often tortured the councillor for bringing less dowry.
“Even though she won the MCD election earlier this year and became a councillor, her in-laws used to harass her for dowry,” Sunil claimed.
Lalaram has denied the allegations and insists that they never harassed their daughter-in-law over any issue. Police have detained Pawan and Lalaram and are questioning them. “Vanshika was apparently strangulated, but nothing can be confirmed about Satyam till we receive the post-mortem report,” the officer added.
Source claimed that a suicide note was recovered from the spot, but the police denied it.
Sources also said Satyam was not happy with her political and personal life. She wanted to resign from her post. Satyam, who hails from Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district, had done MA in 2008 and BEd in 2009 from Chaudhary Charan Singh (CCS) University in Meerut.