What initially appeared to be a case of suicide has taken a shocking turn after a four-year-old girl’s drawing cast doubt on the circumstances surrounding her mother’s death. Sonali Budholia, 27, was found dead at her home in Panchavati Shiv Parivar Colony on Monday, with her in-laws claiming she had taken her own life.
However, her daughter Darshita’s unsettling illustration and statements to the media have pointed to possible foul play, implicating her father, Sandeep Budholia, in the tragedy.Darshita’s drawing depicted a violent assault on her mother. She later told reporters that her father had physically attacked Sonali before staging her death.
“Papa assaulted and killed Mummy and said, ‘Die if you want to.’ He hanged her body and hit her head with a stone. Later, he brought down the body and put it in a sack,” the child revealed.
Her statements also suggested a history of domestic abuse, alleging that Sandeep often threatened to kill her mother. “I once warned him that if he hurt my mother, I would break his hand. He would hit her and say she should die, and that I should meet the same fate,” Darshita recounted.
Sonali’s father, Sanjeev Tripathi, who lives in Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh, described a troubled marriage marred by alleged dowry demands and mistreatment. He claimed that despite giving Rs 20 lakh in dowry, the demands continued. A previous dowry harassment case was lodged against Sonali’s husband, Sandeep Budholiya, but was later settled based on alleged false assurances from his family.
He claimed that after Sonali gave birth to a daughter in 2020the abuse intensified.
“After the delivery, Sandeep and his family abandoned her in the hospital. I had to clear the bill and take her home. A month later, Sandeep returned to take Sonali and Darshita back,” he said.
Sanjeev further stated that just days before her death, Sandeep insisted Sonali return home from a cousin’s wedding, despite her reluctance.
On the morning of her death, Sanjeev received a call from her in-laws, claiming she was unwell. Hours later, another call informed him that she had died by suicide.
The Kotwali City Police have launched an investigation and sent Sonali’s body for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Authorities are also examining Darshita’s claims and other evidence to uncover the truth behind the incident.
According to circle officer (CO) City Rambeer Singh, an FIR has been registered against Sandeep, his mother Vineeta, his elder brother Krishna Kumar, his sister-in-law Manisha, and five unidentified persons under sections 80 (dowry death) and 85 (cruelty against a woman by her husband) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. Sandeep has been detained for interrogation.
