Domestic abuse ends in fatality

HUSBAND ACCUSED OF BEATING HIS WIFE TO DEATH; FATALITY DISCOVERED ONLY THE AFTERNOON AFTER THE BEATING
GANGTOK: 54-year-old Jailal Baitha, employed as a ‘dhobi’ with the Sikkim Armed Police, was taken into custody yesterday on charges of having battered his 33-year-old wife, Naina Kala Chettri, to death. The couple resided in Bojoghari above Gangtok and the incident transpired in their rented accommodation there.
“The accused beat up his wife on Friday night after which the victim went to sleep. The next day, the accused is said to have gone to his duty in the morning without informing his wife whom he thought was sleeping at the time. During investigation the accused revealed that when he returned from duty at around 3:30 pm on Saturday, he found his wife still sleeping. It is when he tried to wake her up that he realised that she was dead, having succumbed to injuries sustained in the previous night’s beating,” confirmed SP [East], Dr. MS Tuli.

Preliminary investigation appears to have confirmed that the victim died of injuries sustained from the abuse and the accused has been booked under Section 302 [murder] of the Indian Penal Code. He currently on police remand for 5 days.
The SP mentioned that the cause of death could be the multiple head injuries suffered by the victim.
The neighbours who had heard the couple fight the previous night are reported to have told the police investigation team that the couple had a drinking problem and that quarrels and beatings like the one which ended in a fatality on Friday night were common.
Investigation, it is informed, has also revealed that the husband suspected his wife of having affairs outside their marriage. They have been married only a few months. This was the accused person’s fifth marriage, it is further informed.