A teacher, who was allegedly burnt by her in-laws for dowry on April 13, succumbed to her injuries at Safdarjung Hospital on Friday after battling for life for eight days. The victim, Sangeeta Nagar, had suffered 90 per cent burn injuries. Sangeeta’s parents alleged that she was burnt to death for not bringing Rs 25 lakh from her parental home as a part of dowry.
Pradeep Verma, Sangeeta’s brother, in his complaint alleged that Sangeeta was preparing a meal at her in-laws’ house Number 1,251 in Sector-3 Vasundhara under Indirapuram police station. At about 8 pm her husband Sanjeev Nagar, father-in-law Rich Pal Nagar and mother-in-law Ram Bhuli Nagar poured diesel on her and set her on fire. Hearing her cries the neighbours reached the house and rescued her. They took Sangeeta to her parents who then took her to the hospital.
Though the in-laws tried to pass the incident off as an accident, an FIR lodged by Sangeeta’s family stated that Sangeeta told her mother in hospital that her husband had been demanding Rs 25 lakh for the last one month.
Pradeep in the complaint stated that he had received compensation against the acquisition of his land by the State. Sangeeta’s in-laws knew about this and had since then started demanding dowry even though the couple had been married for 15 years. Sangeeta, a Government school teacher near Sikandrabad town in Bulandshahr used to get a salary of Rs 50,000 a month.
“The husband has been arrested and the investigation is underway to ascertain the role of parents in-laws,” said SP City Salman Taj Patil.
Sangeeta leaves behind two children, daughter Amvni (13) and son Akshha (11).