30-year-old dentist Gauri Palve, wife of Minister Pankaja Munde's PA Anant Garje, found hanging at their Mumbai home on November 22
Family accuses husband and in-laws of torture and emotional abuse, leading to FIR for abetment to suicide
Incident draws opposition fire for swift justice, highlights domestic violence crisis.
Wife Of Maharashtra Minister’s PA Dies By Suicide
In a chilling case of alleged domestic torment, a young doctor's tragic end in Mumbai's Worli exposes the dark underbelly of marital strife, with her family pointing fingers at her husband's relentless abuse just nine months into their marriage.
Summary
The wife of Anant Garje, personal assistant to Maharashtra's Animal Husbandry and Environment Minister Pankaja Munde, was found dead by suicide at their residence in Worli, central Mumbai, on Saturday evening, November 22, plunging the political circles into shock and grief. Gauri Palve, a 30-year-old dentist working in the dental department of the civic-run KEM Hospital, was discovered hanging from the ceiling by her family members, who allege that prolonged harassment and torture by her husband drove her to this desperate act.
The couple, who tied the knot in February 2025 in a seemingly joyous union, had been living in a modest apartment in the upscale Worli area, a stone's throw from the bustling heart of Mumbai's political and medical hubs. According to police reports, Gauri's father lodged a formal complaint late Saturday, detailing in a written statement how his daughter endured "continuous harassment" from her in-laws, including emotional and possibly physical abuse that eroded her spirit over the months. The family has vehemently demanded a no-holds-barred investigation, insisting that the suicide was no isolated incident but the culmination of a toxic domestic environment fueled by disputes that Garje and his relatives allegedly exacerbated.
Worli Police Station officials, led by Senior Inspector Vinayak Munde (no relation to the minister), swiftly registered an FIR against Garje and his family under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code for abetment to suicide, alongside relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act if deeper probes uncover patterns of coercion. An accidental death report was filed initially, but the investigation has pivoted to scrutinize mobile records, witness statements, and any potential suicide note, none found yet, to piece together the timeline of torment. Preliminary inquiries suggest the immediate trigger was a heated argument earlier that day, though Gauri's loved ones claim the rot ran deeper, with whispers of dowry demands and belittling taunts chipping away at her resolve as a newlywed professional juggling a demanding career.
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