Family flags suspicious death of woman in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone; body exhumed for autopsy

A 29‑year‑old woman died under suspicious circumstances in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district, prompting police to exhume the body for a postmortem after her family questioned the death, officials said on Monday.

The deceased, Nilofer, allegedly consumed acid and died while being taken to Indore for treatment on Saturday, according to her family.

The body was later buried without a postmortem, Kotwali police station house officer BL Mandloi said.

Nilofer's family members alleged that her husband had assaulted and repeatedly harassed her. They also claimed that cigarette-burn marks were visible on several parts of her body.

Following a complaint, the Kotwali police registered a case of unnatural death and began an investigation.

On Sunday, the body was exhumed from a cemetery in the presence of the tehsildar and her family members and taken to the district hospital for an autopsy, Mandloi said, adding that the report was awaited.

The police were recording statements of the deceased's family members as part of the investigation, he said.

Talking to reporters, Nilofer's maternal uncle, Sheikh Mohsin Mansuri, alleged that his niece's husband had repeatedly harassed and assaulted her.

Mansuri held Nilofer's husband responsible for her death and demanded strict action against him. He also alleged that burying the body without a postmortem could have been an attempt to conceal evidence related to the death.

Mandloi said further action will be taken based on the postmortem report and findings of the investigation.