Drug Addiction Or Foul Play: Woman’s Death In Bhopal Leads To Ugly Accusations

The death of a woman in Bhopal, has led to a heated blame game between her in-laws and parents, the former claim she was schizophrenic and addicted to drugs, meanwhile the latter state that this is defamation of a person who cannot defend herself.

The woman in her 30’s, originally from Noida, allegedly died by suicide last week in her residence in Bagh Mugalia Extension, Bhopal.

Since her death, several events such as her husband’s disappearance, CCTV footage supposedly recorded before her death, and purported WhatsApp chats where she expressed frustration over her marital life, raised questions over the events that led to her alleged suicide.

What Are the Accusations?

The mother-in-law of the deceased, a retired judge conversed with the media on Monday and Tuesday, claiming that within five months of marriage, she observed that she held liberal views. She alleged that when her daughter-in-law’s pregnancy was confirmed on May 17, her behaviour drastically changed as she refused to keep the child. According to her, the woman was found self-harming that evening.

The mother-in-law came to her son’s defense saying that men struggle to express grief, but he was suffering due to his wife’s behaviour since the beginning. She clarified that there had been no major fights, but the Medical Termination Of Pregnancy (MTP) was emotionally distressing. She sustained that her son would eventually surface and tend to his legal defense, asserting that the case against them should be dismissed.

Claims on Mental State

The retired judge further commented on the deceased’s mental health, stating that though her death was a profound loss, it must be noted that the woman was undergoing psychiatric treatment and taking medication meant for schizophrenia. She also claimed that she was struggling with physical symptoms such as tremors. As reported by PTI, the mother-in-law said that "Twisha was on schizophrenic drugs, we failed to save her".

She also elaborated that the daughter-in-law suffered from drug withdrawal after moving to Bhopal, and confessed to using large amounts of marijuana to end her pregnancy. "Twisha confessed to consuming large quantities of marijuana during pregnancy," says mother-in-law and retired judge Giribala Singh as per PTI.

Parent’s Response

The deceased’s father rejected these claims strongly, and accused his daughter’s mother-in-law of fabricating stories to avoid responsibility. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, he emphasised that his daughter died under mysterious circumstances in her marital home and criticised the previously judicial officer for publicly defaming the deceased, a career-oriented woman.

The deceased’s mother also rejects any financial motives, explaining that there was no monetary dependence between them and their daughter. She stated that they only wanted her to excel in her career, but she was restricted by her in-laws. According to ANI, the deceased's mother holds her husband and in-laws responsible, "We want both (Samarth Singh and his mother) to be arrested. They killed my daughter."

The local police’s investigation is currently on going; by further examining the recovery of CCTV footage, WhatsApp messages, and autopsy report, the exact events that led to this tragedy can be ascertained.