Greater Noida dowry case: Police says cause of death not yet clear

Noida: The exact cause of death of a 24-year-old woman, whose family has alleged she was murdered over dowry demands in Greater Noida, is still not clear and viscera samples have been preserved for forensic analysis, police said on Tuesday.

Police at the Ecotech-3 police station said the postmortem examination of Deepika Nagar had been conducted but doctors were yet to ascertain the exact cause of death.

Deepika died on Sunday night after allegedly falling from the terrace of her three-storey matrimonial home in Jalpura village in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar district.

Her family, however, has alleged that she was murdered by her in-laws over dowry demands and claimed it was neither a suicide nor an accident.

Police said, "Doctors have not yet confirmed the exact cause of death. The exact cause of death is not clear. Postmortem examination has been conducted and viscera has been preserved for forensic analysis".

Police have arrested Deepika's husband Hrithik (26) and father-in-law Manoj, while efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining accused named in the FIR registered under provisions related to dowry death.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Shailendra Kumar Singh had earlier said that the case was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by Deepika's father, Sanjay Nagar.

According to the complaint, Deepika had called her father on Sunday afternoon while crying and allegedly told him that her in-laws were assaulting her over dowry demands.

The family alleged that the in-laws were demanding a Toyota Fortuner SUV and an additional Rs 45-50 lakh in cash.

Sanjay Nagar claimed that he and some relatives had gone to Deepika's matrimonial home around 7 pm on Sunday in an attempt to resolve the dispute.

He alleged that around 12.30 am, the family received a call from the in-laws informing them that Deepika had suffered a fall and asking them to reach Sharda Hospital.

"When I reached the hospital, I found my daughter lying dead," Nagar had said earlier, alleging that her body bore multiple injury marks and what appeared to be wounds caused by a screwdriver.

"My daughter has been killed for dowry," he had alleged.

Nagar also claimed there were discrepancies in the versions given by the in-laws about the incident.

"I asked them where Deepika had fallen, and the in-laws replied from the stairs. Later, they said from the roof," he alleged.

On Monday, Deepika’s family had alleged that while her in-laws claimed she died after falling from the terrace, the nature of injuries on her body did not appear consistent with a fall.

The family claimed that instead of injuries typically associated with a fall from height, there were marks on her body suggesting assault.

Speaking to PTI on Monday night, Deepika’s father had alleged that his daughter’s body bore marks that appeared to have been caused by a screwdriver.

The woman's aunt, Geeta Devi, had alleged that Deepika was pushed from the building and later either stabbed or shot when she survived the fall.

The family further alleged that Deepika was subjected to mental and physical harassment within a few months of her marriage in December 2024.

Police said videography of the postmortem examination was conducted and additional sections would be invoked depending on the outcome of the investigation and forensic reports.