Sabarkantha, Sep 24 — A 26-year-old woman was allegedly strangled to death by her husband after he suspected her character in Haripura village, with police arresting the accused within hours of the incident, officials said on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Soniben Pargi, who had been living with her husband and children as an agricultural labourer at a farm belonging to Haiderbhai in the Haripura area.
According to police, the incident took place on the evening of September 22 following a domestic dispute between the couple.
DySP (Idar Division) Smit Gohil said the accused, Ramesh Pargi, suspected his wife’s character and allegedly attacked her following a quarrel.
“The incident took place mainly due to a domestic dispute between the husband and wife. Ramesh Pargi, who is the husband of the deceased, suspected his wife regarding her character and, due to this grudge, committed the act on the evening of the 22nd,” he said.
Officials said the woman was found lying on a cot inside a room at the farm on September 23, with a blanket covering her body, in suspicious circumstances. Her husband was not present in the room at the time.
The deceased's brother, Mumanbhai Gamar, subsequently lodged a complaint alleging that Ramesh had killed his sister after suspecting her character.
According to Gohil, the accused fled the spot with his daughter after the incident. Police and the Local Crime Branch formed teams to trace him.
Officials say LCB personnel received information that Ramesh was travelling by rickshaw from Himmatnagar towards Desotar and began keeping watch for him. He was subsequently traced and apprehended.
Police registered a case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Police arrested the accused late Wednesday night.
“The deceased woman, her husband and their children had come here and had been living as agricultural labourers at Haiderbhai’s farm for the last three to four months. They are originally residents of Kotada Chhavani taluka in Rajasthan,” Gohil said.
The arrested accused is a resident of Mandwal Anara Faliya in Kotada Chhavani taluka of Udaipur district, Rajasthan, and is currently residing in Haripura.
Police said they are also checking whether any criminal cases have previously been registered against the accused at police stations in Gujarat or Rajasthan.
The accused is to be produced before the court, following which the investigating officer may seek his remand. The Jadar police station has been handed over for further investigation.