Gujarat Man Googles Suicide Law Before Killing Pregnant Wife

A report of a pregnant woman dying by suicide in Gujarat's Kheda district has unravelled into a murder investigation after police found that she was killed by her husband and in-laws, who then staged her death as suicide to evade justice.

The sequence of events began on the morning of October 17, when local police received information that Arunaben Sodha had hanged herself at her residence in Kheda's Mahuda area. However, her family members immediately raised strong suspicions over the circumstances around her death.

Investigation revealed that on the night of the incident, Arunaben, who was 13 weeks pregnant, had suffered from severe abdominal pain and repeatedly pleaded with her husband, Mitul, to take her to a doctor. Instead of attending to his ailing and pregnant wife, Mitul remained occupied with his phone, ignoring her.

Police said the dispute escalated when a frustrated Arunaben said that she would rather die. Her remarks allegedly sparked an idea in her husband's mind. Seeking a way to evade legal consequences, Mitul allegedly searched Google to check if a husband is held responsible if his wife commits suicide. Following this digital search, Mitul and his family members orchestrated a plan to kill Arunaben using liquid nano urea from a household packet, police said.

According to police findings, the victim was pinned down by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law while Mitul forced the toxic chemical down her throat, stuffing cloth in her mouth to silence her screams. Within minutes, both Arunaben and her unborn child died due to internal trauma and asphyxiation. Following the murder, the accused staged the crime scene by hanging the lifeless body from a window using a nylon rope to simulate suicide and mislead investigators.

Scientific analysis ultimately dismantled the fabricated narrative. A panel of doctors conducted a post-mortem examination, revealing that the ligature marks on the victim's neck occurred after death and that lethal chemical traces were present in her system. The ingestion of urea generated toxic ammonia gas, causing respiratory failure and shutting down vital organs.

Prompted by technical surveillance, cyber analysis, and conclusive medical reports, police arrested Mitul and his brother, Vipul, recovering key evidence from the scene. While the primary conspirators have been arrested, police officials continue intensive efforts to arrest the mother-in-law and sister-in-law, who remain on the run.