MoD officer dies by suicide, parents allege abuse by husband, in-laws

New Delhi: A 30-year-old Assistant Section Officer in the Ministry of Defence died by suicide at her rented accommodation in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka, following which her parents approached police alleging harassment by her husband and in-laws, officials said.

Nazia Khanam was found hanging from a ceiling fan at a flat in Bharthal village in the early hours of August 21, they said. She had married Mohammad Azam Ali Khan on April 11, a senior police officer said.

A PCR call regarding the incident was received at 4.21 am on August 21 at Sector 23 police station, following which a police team reached the spot and took the body into possession.

The concerned Sub-Divisional Magistrate was informed and the body was shifted to the DDU Hospital mortuary, police said. According to police, Khanam’s family members appeared before the Executive Magistrate on August 21 and submitted written statements but did not raise any suspicion or allegation against her matrimonial family at that stage.

“However, on August 22, her parents again appeared before the SDM and submitted a further statement and complaint, making allegations against her husband and other members of the matrimonial family,” the officer said. Based on the complaint, police registered an FIR at Sector 23 Dwarka police station on August 22 under Sections 85 and 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and initiated an investigation.

According to the FIR, Khanam’s father alleged that her husband, mother-in-law Samimun Nisha, and father-in-law Babar Ali Khan repeatedly subjected his daughter to mental and physical harassment. The complaint alleged that her matrimonial family abused, assaulted, and threatened her. It also stated that Khanam was around three months pregnant and had informed her family about the alleged harassment over the phone. Police said Azam told investigators that the couple had an argument before the incident. According to his statement recorded in the FIR, Khanam allegedly locked him inside one room before going to another.