Pune: MVA and Mahayuti politicians on Friday raised their voice demanding justice for 42-year-old Shilpa Gaware, a day after she died by suicide in the Wakad area more than seven years after her marriage.Shiv Sena senior member Neelam Gorhe on Friday said the existing dowry death section under the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita specifies that the death must occur within seven years of the marriage. She said it should be amended.Shilpa was found hanging in her Wakad residence on Thursday. Her husband and in-laws were arrested after her brother filed a complaint alleging that she was being mentally and physically harassed by them.Both the families are politically connected. Following Shilpa’s death, politicians from both, in the govt and the opposition, demanded justice for her.Gorhe visited the Wakad police station on Friday to get updates on the case. Interacting with reporters after her meeting with the police, she said, “The police will carry out the investigation without any pressure. I will speak to the chief minister and both the deputy chief ministers to personally monitor the probe. I have also suggested that the police check Shilpa’s call records and conversations with her friends and relatives a few days before her death.”As Shilpa was married for over seven years, Gorhe said, the dowry death section had not been included in the FIR. “According to the provision in the law, the section of dowry death is applicable only if the unnatural death occurs within seven years of marriage. I appeal to govt that it should reconsider this provision,” the Shiv Sena member said.Shilpa’s case brought back the memories of the 2025 dowry death of Vaishnavi Hagawane. The opposition had targeted the govt over Vaishnavi’s suicide as her husband and in-laws were connected to NCP.In Shilpa’s death also, the opposition demanded speedy trial. Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar demanded that the trial should be fast-tracked.Referring to leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s recent “Chhatron ki Goonj” event in Pune, he said, “Rahul spoke about the harassment being faced by women in the country. Within a week, a suicide due to alleged harassment was reported in the city. The govt should ensure that the case is fast-tracked and people responsible for Shilpa’s death get the death penalty.”BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe said he had spoken to the chief minister and the latter assured that the trial would be conducted in a fast track court.
