Delhi Dowry Death: Husband Arrested After Newlywed Woman Falls to Her Death in Lodhi Colony
A 28-year-old woman died after an alleged fall from the third floor of a residential building in south Delhi’s Lodhi Colony on Saturday evening. The incident, which occurred just 72 days after her wedding, has prompted her family to allege foul play, claiming she was murdered following continuous harassment over dowry demands.
The Delhi Police have arrested the husband of a 28-year-old woman who died after falling from a residential building in south Delhi’s Lodhi Colony on Saturday evening. Authorities have registered a formal case under relevant sections pertaining to dowry death, marking a major development in an investigation that began just 72 days after the couple's marriage.
The victim, identified as Akriti Sutar, a resident of Pushp Vihar, worked as a healthcare sales executive in Chhattarpur. Police arrested her husband, Arastu Sikka, following detailed statements and allegations from her family. According to investigators, Sikka is currently unemployed, and the couple resided with his father in Pushp Vihar. Delhi: Woman Dies by Suicide, Final Video Accuses In-Laws of Dowry Harassment.
The incident occurred around 8:00 PM on Saturday at the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) apartment complex at Palika Kunj. Local residents discovered Akriti critically injured on the ground floor and alerted the Lodhi Colony police station. She was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Trauma Centre, where she was declared brought dead.
While preliminary observations by investigators suggest the case may be a suicide, police officials emphasized that no definitive conclusions have been made. A crime team and forensic experts have examined the site, where Akriti’s purse, mobile phone, and footwear were recovered from the third-floor terrace.
Akriti’s family has strongly contested the suicide theory, asserting that she was an emotionally resilient individual who was the primary financial support for her mother and siblings. They alleged that she faced persistent physical abuse and domestic harassment from Sikka and her in-laws, who reportedly demanded ₹20 lakh in cash and a car shortly after the April 24 wedding. Delhi Woman Dies Under Suspicious Circumstances Months After Marriage; Family Alleges Dowry Harassment, Murder.
The family also raised questions regarding the location of the tragedy, noting that the building is nearly 10 kilometers away from her home and that Akriti had no known connections to anyone living there. CCTV footage from the complex showed her entering the premises alone. Police are currently tracing her journey via the Metro network to understand why she traveled to Lodhi Colony after leaving her workplace.
Because the death took place within seven years of marriage, mandatory inquest proceedings have been initiated under the guidance of the local Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). Police stated that a comprehensive investigation remains underway, and the final cause of death will be established upon receiving the post-mortem report.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 06, 2026 11:35 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).