Surat: A tragic family dispute continued even after the death of a 22-year-old woman, as both her parental and in-laws’ families initially refused to accept her body following her alleged suicide. The woman, who had married against her family’s wishes, is survived by her two-year-old daughter, who has now been left orphaned.According to police, the woman married a man from Bhavnagar three years ago after the two fell in love. Unhappy with the marriage, her family had severed ties with her. Four months ago, her husband died following an illness, leaving her to care for their young daughter alone.Police said the woman arrived in Surat on Monday and allegedly consumed poison at Umiyadham Atithi Bhavan in the Varachha area. She was taken for treatment but later died.Following her death, Ashwini Kumar police kept the body in cold storage and contacted her family members to claim it. However, her father reportedly refused to accept the body, citing the estrangement following her love marriage. Police then approached her husband’s family, but her brother-in-law also initially declined to take responsibility for the last rites.“The woman’s brother-in-law later agreed to accept the body and perform the final rites. We will hand over the body in accordance with legal procedures,” an Ashwini Kumar police inspector told TOI.Meanwhile, the couple’s two-year-old daughter has been placed in a child care home. Officials said further decisions regarding her custody and rehabilitation will be taken in accordance with legal procedures and child welfare norms.
