Twenty-six-year-old Vaishnavi Hagawane allegedly died by suicide in Pune on May 16. Her parents had alleged that she took the extreme step after her in-laws had tortured her for dowry. Her father-in-law Rajendra was subsequently expelled from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) after the case hit national headlines
According to the police, when the victim's parents went to the accused's house to take custody of her child, he threatened them with a gun. Representational pic
A man accused of threatening the parents of Vaishnavi Hagawane with a gun when they went to his house in Pimpri Chinchwad to take the custody of her child following her death has been held from the Nepal border, a police officer said on Friday.
Twenty-six-year-old Hagawane allegedly died by suicide in Pune's Bavdhan area on May 16. Her parents had alleged that she took the extreme step after her in-laws had tortured her for dowry. Her father-in-law Rajendra was subsequently expelled from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) after the case hit national headlines.
Following her death, her nine-month-old child was left with Nilesh Chavan, who is close to the Hagawane family, the officer said.
"When Vaishnavi's parents and others went to his house to take custody of the child, he threatened them with a gun. He was booked at the time at Warje Police Station for showing a gun. A case under the Juvenile Justice Act was registered at Bavdhan Police Station against him for not taking proper care of the child," the officer stated.
"He was on the run since. We have now held Chavan from the Nepal border. He was planning to escape. He is being brought back to Pune," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Vishal Hire said.
Chavan will be arrested in the case registered at Bavdhan Police once he arrives in Pune, DCP Sandip Doifode said.
Rajendra and his son Sushil were taken into custody from the Swargate area while attempting to flee the city last week.
Along with them, the police have arrested the woman’s husband Shashank, mother-in-law Lata, sister-in-law Karishma and brother-in-law Sushil in the dowry harassment-suicide case.
The woman’s parents alleged they had given 51 tolas (595 gm) of gold, silver and an SUV to her husband's family at the time of marriage, but the Hagawane family harassed her yet, demanding she bring Rs 2 crore to purchase land.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had also expressed his dismay over the suicide and described it as a "serious incident".
"The incident is a serious matter in a progressive state like Maharashtra and the government has taken note of it," Fadnavis told reporters.
(With PTI inputs)
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