Mangaon Police Arrest Husband in Poison Cold Drink Tragedy
Mangaon police in Raigad district have arrested the husband of a tribal woman on charges of abetment of suicide after she died by allegedly consuming a poison-laced cold drink, which she also fed to her four children. The tragic incident occurred on Saturday at the Kharavali tribal hamlet in Mangaon taluka, resulting in the deaths of the woman and her two daughters.
The deceased has been identified as Asha Dharma Jadhav, 29. Her daughters, Nandini, 6, and Durva, 7, were declared brought dead at the Mangaon sub-district hospital. Her son Ravi, 8, and another daughter Rajshree, 4, survived and are currently stable in the intensive care unit at Alibaug civil hospital.
Complaint Filed by Brother
A police complaint was lodged by Sandeep Mutake, 35, a labourer from Vadavali tribal hamlet and the eldest brother of the deceased woman. In his complaint, Mutake alleged that Asha's husband, Dharma Jadhav, has been an alcoholic since their marriage in 2016. Due to his habitual drinking, frequent fights occurred between the couple, and he would beat her after returning home drunk. As a result, Asha and her children would repeatedly seek refuge at Mutake's house, where he would convince her to return to her in-laws.
On May 20, Asha and Dharma accompanied Mutake to Ganpatipule, Ratnagiri, for labour work at an orchard. During the return journey, Asha confided in Mutake that she was fed up with Dharma's drinking and the physical abuse she endured. She stated that if Dharma did not quit alcohol and stop mistreating her, she would commit suicide.
Sequence of Events
On Saturday afternoon, following a quarrel during which Dharma allegedly beat Asha, she took the extreme step of feeding poison-laced cold drink to her four children before consuming it herself. The two youngest children survived the poisoning and are receiving medical treatment.
Legal Proceedings
Sub-Inspector Sandeep Bagul of Mangaon police stated, “Based on Mutake's complaint, an FIR was registered under relevant BNS sections against Dharma Jadhav for abetment of suicide, criminal intimidation, and intentional insult to provoke breach of peace. The deceased Asha was booked for murder, attempt to murder, and causing hurt by means of poison. The arrested accused, Dharma Jadhav, was produced before the Mangaon JMFC court, which remanded him to police custody until June 18. As Asha has died, we will submit an A-summary (Abated Summary) report to the court to officially terminate the pending criminal procedure against her.”
Future of Surviving Children
Inspector Bagul added, “With Asha deceased and Dharma in jail, the two surviving children, Ravi and Rajshree, will need to be raised and cared for. Their upbringing and schooling will be managed either by their grandparents or Asha's four brothers, three of whom are older than her.”
This heartbreaking incident highlights the severe consequences of domestic violence and alcoholism. The community mourns the loss of life and hopes for the recovery and well-being of the surviving children.
