Husband held for dowry harassment after wife’s death in Lodhi Colony area

Arastu Sikka, the husband of 28-year-old Akriti, who was found dead near an NDMC residential complex in Delhi’s Lodhi Colony on Saturday evening, has been arrested.

The husband was arrested on charges of dowry harassment, police confirmed on Monday.

The victim’s mother’s complaint to police revealed that Akriti had told her on June 29, five days before her death, that her husband might kill her. Akriti, a resident of Pushp Vihar who worked as a sales executive at a private company in Chhatarpur, had been married to Sikka for exactly 72 days when she died. She had married on April 24 this year.

On Saturday, July 5, she had gone to work, hosted a party for her colleagues, and then fallen silent. Her phone was switched off. Her family learned of her death around 10 pm when a police officer from Lodhi Colony police station answered Akriti’s phone and asked them to come to the station.

She was found critically injured outside B-Block of the NDMC flats at Palika Kunj. She was rushed to AIIMS, where doctors declared her brought dead. Police believe she fell from the third floor. CCTV footage from the complex is being examined to determine whether she arrived alone and what happened before the fall.

Injuries were found on her left arm and thigh, and investigators are trying to establish whether these preceded the fall or resulted from it.

A postmortem examination is in progress.

In her complaint to police, Akriti’s mother, Anu Say Sutar, said the harassment began almost immediately after the wedding. The couple had dated for two years before marrying. Before the marriage, Akriti had made clear to her in-laws that she would continue working because her father was dead and she needed to financially support her younger brother and mother. The family had agreed. After the marriage, the agreement was disregarded entirely.

The mother alleged that Akriti was told to quit her job, and when she refused, all household chores were foisted on her to force the issue. She was allegedly abused for calling her mother or visiting her maternal home. On June 17, Akriti told her mother on a call that Arastu had beaten her with a belt because her phone was on silent and she had missed his call. He had accused her of keeping the phone silent to hide illicit relationships, the complaint stated.

The flashpoint over money was specific and recurring. Akriti was the family’s primary earner after her father’s death five years ago. She wanted to send Rs 5,000 every month to her mother. This became a source of repeated conflict. The family alleged her husband had demanded she hand over her entire salary. Separately, her mother and uncle alleged that the husband and his relatives had demanded Rs 20 lakh as dowry after the marriage, in addition to the Rs 7 to 8 lakh the family had already spent on the wedding.

On June 29, Akriti called her mother and said she feared Arastu might kill her.

On the same day, he allegedly assaulted her over a food dispute. She went to the house of Augustika, Arastu’s sister and Akriti’s childhood friend, through whom the couple had met, to discuss the situation. Arastu followed her there and attempted to assault her again before being calmed down. A reconciliation was arranged, and Akriti returned to her husband’s home.

On July 3, Akriti’s mother called Arastu’s father, asking him to intervene. This allegedly angered Arastu, who then threatened to get Akriti’s brother fired from his job and beaten up. Augustika also called the mother and told her not to interfere, allegedly saying that Akriti had been brought to their home to cook and do housework and that no job-related agreement was official.

On the morning of July 5, Akriti called her mother and said she was leaving for work. Her phone went off after that. She did not come home. Police have confirmed the arrest of Arastu Sikka.

Since the death occurred within seven years of marriage, mandatory inquest proceedings have been initiated, and the SDM has been informed. All possible angles, including the family’s allegations of murder, are under investigation.