Boyfriend Jailed For "Kidnapping" Her, UP Girl Dies By Suicide At Home

A 17-year-old girl died by suicide at her home in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur after her boyfriend was jailed in a kidnapping case, police said on Thursday. Her family claimed she was depressed after her boyfriend was arrested on May 18.

The girl, who lived in a village, three kilometres away from Sultanpur's Lambhua, was in a relationship with her 19-year-old neighbour for nearly two years. The two wanted to get married but their families opposed the relationship. 

The girl's father complained to the man's family several times and brought the matter to the village panchayat. However, the two families could not reach an agreement.

Amid increasing pressure to break up, the couple decided to elope. On the night of May 13, the two fled the village.

The next day, the girl's father filed an FIR against the man for allegedly kidnapping his daughter. Five days later, the police located the couple, arrested the boyfriend and sent him to jail for a week. 

The girl was returned to her family and called in to record her statement in the case but because of some issue, her statement had to be re-recorded. She was called to the police station the next day.

Later that night, after the family ate dinner, she went up to her room alone and locked it from inside. There, she applied sindoor (vermillion) to her forehead before hanging herself from the ceiling with a scarf.

The girl had dropped out of school last year.

Initial investigation suggests that the girl took her life after struggling with depression, police said. The body has been sent for post-mortem and based on the report, legal action will be taken.

(With inputs from Ashok Gautam)