Navi Mumbai News: 6 In-Laws, Including Husband Booked For Abetment After 30-Year-Old Woman, Minor Daughter Found Dead In Taloja; Dowry, Gender Bias Cited In Suicide Note

Navi Mumbai: Taloja police has registered a case of abetment of suicide against six members of a family—including the husband, mother-in-law, and four sisters-in-law—following the death of a 30-year-old woman, Sonam Abhishek Keni, and her 4-year-old daughter Divyanshi in Pethali village, Taloja.

The tragic incident occurred on April 24, when Sonam allegedly smothered her daughter with a pillow and later died by suicide by hanging herself. Initial reports indicated that Sonam acted out of mental distress. Her husband, Abhishek Keni, informed the police that she had been depressed due to ongoing personal stress.

"In further investigations, we found that Sonam had been subjected to continuous mental and physical harassment by her in-laws for not bearing a male child and for not bringing dowry from her parental home. These findings were corroborated by a handwritten note left behind by Sonam, where she detailed the abuse she faced from her in-laws," a police officer from Taloja police station said.

Based on a complaint filed by Sonam’s father, Dnyaneshwar Patil, police registered a case against husband Abhishek Keni, mother-in-law Prabhavati Keni, and four sisters-in-law—Harshala Patil, Vaishali Patil, Archana Gharat, and Rupali Mali—under relevant sections for abetment of suicide.

Sonam’s father has further alleged that the death was not a suicide but a planned murder. He pointed out that despite the incident happening at around 4 PM, the family was only informed at 6 PM, and the police were notified at 7 PM. He suspects the delay was a deliberate attempt to cover up the crime. He has demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.

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