17-yr-old housewife dies by suicide amid domestic abuse

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: In a tragic incident, a 17-year-old housewife with an 11-month-old child took her life after enduring severe harassment from her 21-yearold husband.

The Gangammanagudi police have filed a case under the POCSO Act, Child Marriage Act, and the Indian Penal Code, and have arrested the husband, Kaushik.

According to police reports, the young woman committed suicide after sending her husband out of their home at around 8 PM on Tuesday. Kaushik, who worked as a crane operator, had reportedly been harassing his wife both before and aftermarriage.

The incident came to light when the couple’s infant began crying continuously, prompting a concerned neighbor, Satish, to investigate. Upon arriving at the house, Satish discovered the young woman hanging and immediately broke down the door to rescue her.

Unfortunately, she was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident. The victim had met Kaushik on Instagram while she was in class 10 and living in a hostel in Kammagondanahalli.

Despite her father’s objections, the couple decided to marry. They exchanged vows at a private ceremony in 2022, without any formal wedding or family presence. Following their marriage, the victim continued her studies until she became pregnant and dropped out of college.

The harassment reportedly began after she became pregnant and worsened after the birth of their child. The young housewife sought financial support from her husband to care for their baby, but she did not receive any help from other family members, police sources said.