Udupi suicide case: Man arrested, wife elusive; Right-wing terms it 'love jihad'

UDUPI: Police have arrested Azeez (32), who along with his wife Salma (30), is wanted in a suicide abetment case in Uppinakudru, Kundapur. The couple had gone absconding after family members of the victim, Shilpa Devadiga (25), accused Azeez of pushing Shilpa to commit suicide. 

Salma, who is accused of assisting her husband in exploiting Shilpa, is yet to be nabbed by the police. Two teams of police were formed to find the elusive couple after right-wing organisations insisted that it is a case of ‘Love Jihad’ and that Shilpa’s family should be given justice. 

Police sources said during questioning, Azeez admitted to exploiting Shilpa and having a sexual relationship with her after making false promises of marrying her. The case registered against the couple under Section 306 of the IPC (abetment of suicide) stands. Meanwhile, police sources said they have clues on the whereabouts of Salma. "We will nab her soon," police sources said. 

Azeez was produced before the court and sent to police custody. Shilpa had consumed poison on the night of May 23 and succumbed to multi-organ failure at a private hospital in Manipal on May 25. Following her death, a case of unnatural death was registered by police. However, as the family members checked her mobile phone, they found her picture with Azeez. Based on this and other evidence, the family members complained that Azeez had forced her to end her life.