Dowry harassment claims life of Telangana woman cop

Hyderabad: A woman police constable, who used to counsel people in dowry harassment cases, herself fell victim to the menace in Telangana.

Nampally Mounika (26) died under suspicious circumstances at her in-laws’ house in Warangal district on Sunday but her parents alleged that she was murdered by her husband and in-laws who were harassing her for additional dowry.

Mounika was working as a police constable in Mahabubabad and was expecting a sub-inspector post.

Mounika’s in-laws informed her mother that she hanged herself and that she was being taken to MGM Hospital. When her relatives reached the hospital, they were informed that she had died.

Tension gripped the hospital mortuary where relatives of Mounika tried to attack her in-laws blaming them for her murder.

Mounika’s father Rajender alleged that her husband Sridhar, mother-in-law and brother-in-law were harassing her for more dowry.

On his complaint, police registered a case and arrested Mounika’s husband Sridhar, mother-in-law Vara Laxmi and brother-in-law Krishna Murthy.

The woman became a constable in 2014. She married Sridhar, a financer, in 2015. The couple has a daughter and a son. Since Sridhar’s brother Krishna Murthy was issueless, he had adopted Sridhar and Mounika’s daughter.

According to Mounika’s family, she had recently appeared in a written exam for a sub-inspector post.

Rajender and his wife Narsamma said she used to give counselling to many who approach police station in dowry cases but they had never imagined that their daughter herself would become a victim of dowry harassment. They alleged that she was murdered by in-laws who were trying make it appear like suicide.

Mounika’s parents alleged that her husband used to force her to transfer salary to his bank account. He and other family members were also harassing her for more dowry.