Mystery prevails: 65-year-old commits sati

There is no evidence, no witness, yet the 65-year-old Gahwa Devi, who hails from Parmania village, Bihar, is said to have committed sati on Saturday, Dec 13, following her husband's death.

Family members and relatives stated that Gahwa's husband Ramcharitra Mandal was suffering from cancer. Husband's sudden demise left Gahwa unconsolable and she ended her life by jumping into his funeral pyre.

As per Saharsa SDPO Prem Sagar, the incident took place when the oldster's family members were taking a bath after performing Ramcharitra's last rites.

Seeing no one around, the grief-stricken widow apparently jumped into the flames, committing sati. When her family returned and looked for her, she was missing.

Panic-stricken family members rushed to the cremation ground and spotted her on the funeral pyre of her husband.

The villagers informed the police about the incident and expressed dismay over the fact that the oldster's family didn't try to rescue her.

When contacted, Gahwa's son Ramesh Mandal told reporters that his mother suffered from a heart attack following his father's death and they cremated her with him.
"My mother died of heart failure due to shock over my father's death," said Ramesh, denying the allegations of the villagers.

Police described it as a case of suicide and has not registered any case in this matter.
"We have probed the incident and also video recorded the statements of the villagers.

They all have corroborated the incident. Devi was grieving, but otherwise, was mentally sound. We have taken it as suicide and not filed a case in the matter," the SP told reporters.

The Indian Sati Prevention Act, 1988 has banned the practise of sati across India.
However, the truth behind Gahwa's death is still a mystery.