Homemaker kills son, attempts to end life due to dowry harassment

A homemaker killed her one-year-old son and attempted to end her life by jumping from a residential complex at New Mettuguda in Hyderabad on Monday due to additional dowry harassment from her husband and his parents.

The woman, Thappeta Divya Teja (32), was soon rushed to a private hospital for immediate medical assistance and her condition is said to be critical.

She was married to Thappeta Mahender, in September 2018, and the couple had a son, Ruthvik. A few months later, Mahender and his family members were harassing the victim and her parents for additional dowry. “He also has an illicit relationship with another woman and was harassing Divya physically and mentally,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (North zone) G. Chandana Deepti said.

On Monday morning, Divya inflicted cuts on the neck and both wrists of her son and forcefully administered sanatizer to the child before she jumped off from the fourth floor of a building by carrying him, the officer said.

“Divya Teja and her parents were told that Mahender was a chartered accountant, but since the day of their wedding, he never went to office, and later they came to know that he was not a CA,” police said.

A case was registered and a probe is on.