3 months after marriage, UP woman found dead; family accuses in-laws of murder

KANPUR: A newlywed woman died under suspicious circumstances in Etawah, just three months after her marriage. Upon learning of the incident, her maternal family arrived at the hospital and created a significant disturbance. The family of the deceased, who resides in Agra, has accused the in-laws of murdering their daughter. Following these allegations, members of both families confronted each other at the hospital, leading to a heated exchange. Police were called to the scene and managed to bring the situation under control. The police have taken the father-in-law of the deceased into custody, while the husband and mother-in-law have fled, prompting a search for them. According to reports, 23-year-old Mona Sankhwar was originally from Jaitpur Kala in Agra district, Uttar Pradesh. She married Sachin Sankhwar, a resident of Lodhi Mohalla in the Kotwali police station area of Etawah, on March 10, 2026. On the evening of Tuesday, June 16, Mona’s in-laws brought her to the district hospital in an unconscious state, claiming that she had died by suicide. However, upon examination, doctors declared her dead and noted a mark of strangulation on her neck. Upon receiving the news, Mona’s family arrived at the hospital and accused her in-laws of murdering her and staging it as a hanging. This led to a heated argument between the two families within the hospital premises. As the situation escalated, police from the Civil Lines and Kotwali police stations intervened to mediate and restore order. Following the complaint lodged by the family, the police detained Mona’s father-in-law, while a search is underway for her husband and mother-in-law, who remain absconding. Mona’s brother, Shivam, has made serious allegations against the in-laws, stating that she had been continuously harassed since her marriage. He further claimed that Mona’s husband, Sachin, was unemployed and spent most of his time at home, which allegedly led to further mistreatment by the mother-in-law. Shivam alleged that after murdering his sister, the in-laws hanged her body to make it appear as a suicide and failed to inform the family about the incident. The authorities have conducted a post-mortem examination and handed over the body to the family. The police are actively investigating the case, and the detained father-in-law is being interrogated. According to officials, the exact cause of death will be determined after the post-mortem report is received, after which further legal action will be taken.