NEW DELHI: A 37-year-old man strangled his pregnant wife and then tried to commit suicide by slitting his wrist in front of his two-year-old daughter after a fight. Police say that the man is battling for his life. Family members of the woman have told the cops that the two got married five years ago and often had fights over the husband’s drinking problem.
The man, Umesh Gupta, is an autorickshaw driver in Dakshinpuri, while his wife, Jyoti (26), was a homemaker. Their family members came to know around 6am, when they heard the girl child crying. A relative, Vir Pal said that the family found Gupta lying in a pool of blood and Jyoti’s body on the bed.
“Umesh was unconscious when we found him and his wife was dead. The child too was covered in blood when we found them. The couple was rushed to the hospital where Umesh recovered later and told us that he had murdered Jyoti in a fit of rage,” said Vir Pal.
DCP (south) Romil Baaniya said that a case under sections of
murder has been registered against Umesh. He told the cops that he initially tried to hang himself with a piece of cloth, but it broke, so he had cut his wrists.
“His final statement will be taken once he is declared fit. The SDM has been informed and the statement of the family of deceased will be recorded,” said DCP Baaniya. A report will be filed after an SDM enquiry.
Family members said that Umesh has an elder brother who also drives an autorickshaw and his younger brother works at a private company. “Our family has staying together at the house for the past 20 years. Umesh often fought with Jyoti over
financial issues,” said Pal.
Jyoti’s body was handed over to her family after an autopsy at the AIIMS.
“My brother-in-law was addicted to alcohol due to which he could not save any money. When my sister became pregnant for the second time, he refused to take care of the child. They were fighting over this for the past few weeks,” said Rahul, Jyoti’s brother.
Umesh Gupta(R), Jyoti (L)