Gurgaon Husband Arrested After Wife, Three Daughters Found Dead in Well
In a tragic incident that has shocked the community, a 28-year-old woman and her three young daughters were found dead in a well at Badorpur village in Nuh district, Gurgaon. Approximately one week after the discovery, police have arrested the woman's husband on charges of abetment to suicide.
Details of the Arrest and Allegations
Shahid, a 30-year-old police officer, was taken into custody on Sunday following intensive interrogation. During questioning, he reportedly admitted to assaulting his wife, Sahila, just one day before she and their daughters—Aksha (5), Saniya (2), and four-month-old Sanaya—were discovered in the well.
The case has brought to light serious allegations of sustained domestic abuse within the family. According to police statements and complaints filed by Sahila's father, Hanif, the abuse included dowry harassment, physical violence, and repeated taunts from her in-laws for not giving birth to a son.
Background of the Marriage and Dowry Demands
Sahila and Shahid were married in 2018. Hanif, a resident of Alwar in Rajasthan, informed investigators that substantial dowry had been provided at the time of the wedding, including a motorcycle, Rs 1 lakh in cash, and various household items. However, the family allegedly remained unsatisfied with these gifts.
In his formal complaint, Hanif detailed that harassment began early in the marriage, with repeated demands for a Hyundai Creta vehicle. He named Shahid, along with Sahila's brothers-in-law Zubair and Saddam, father-in-law Isab, and other relatives—Maqsoodan, Maimuna, and Sanji—as perpetrators of sustained mental and physical abuse against his daughter.
Escalation of Abuse After Birth of Daughters
According to the complaint, the torture worsened significantly after Sahila gave birth to daughters instead of a son. "From the beginning, they kept pressuring and harassing my daughter for a Creta," Hanif stated in his complaint. He added that he repeatedly attempted to reason with the family and, at times, brought Sahila back to her parental home to protect her from the abuse.
Hanif further alleged that approximately six months ago, Sahila was locked inside a room and severely beaten. Her jewellery, including bangles, necklaces, and chains, was also taken away. When Hanif sent his son Rashid to check on her, Rashid was allegedly assaulted and confined as well. He later called police, who rescued him from the situation.
Previous Police Involvement and Failed Resolution
This incident led to a formal complaint at the Firozpur Jhirka police station, where a community meeting was convened. During this meeting, Sahila's husband and in-laws reportedly admitted their wrongdoing, and the matter was temporarily settled. However, Hanif claimed that the situation deteriorated once again after Sahila gave birth to her third daughter around four months ago.
Two days before the deaths, Sahila called her father and informed him that her in-laws had beaten her badly and were threatening to kill her, according to the First Information Report (FIR).
Discovery of the Bodies and Investigation
According to police accounts, Sahila went to the family's farmland on March 8 to harvest mustard. When she did not return home by evening, around Iftar time, relatives began searching the nearby fields and surrounding areas but found no trace of her.
Around 8:30 PM that night, Hanif received a call from a person in Badopur, inquiring if Sahila had reached her parental home. Hanif tried calling her marital family throughout the night to ascertain his daughter's whereabouts but received no response. The next morning, while en route to the village, he was informed by the village headman that Sahila and her daughters had been found dead in a well.
Subhash Chandra, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Firozpur Jhirka Sadar police station, reached the spot with a fire brigade team. The bodies were pulled out with assistance from villagers and subsequently sent to a mortuary at a government hospital in Mandikhera for post-mortem examination.
Police Investigation and Ongoing Questions
"Investigators learned that he was an addict and was unemployed, which often led to domestic disputes in the family," a police spokesperson revealed. The investigation thus far suggests that Sahila was distressed by pressure at home and jumped into the well along with her daughters. However, Sahila's family has alleged that she was pushed into the well along with the children.
Police have registered a murder case against seven members of Shahid's family based on Hanif's allegations that the abuse had escalated in the days before the four were found dead. Authorities plan to seek Shahid's remand for further questioning to ascertain the precise sequence of events and determine whether other individuals were involved in this heartbreaking case.
