A 25-year-old woman was found dead at her marital residence in Gurgaon’s Pataudi area, following which police registered a dowry death case against her husband and four relatives based on a complaint filed by her family. (Representative image)A 25-year-old woman was found dead at her marital residence in Gurgaon’s Pataudi district on Tuesday, following which police registered an FIR against her husband and four of his relatives on dowry death charges based on a complaint by the victim’s family.According to the complaint filed by Dhor Singh, a resident of Palwal district, his daughter Sonia (alias Somwati) married Sahil (27) in 2020.Singh alleged that his son-in-law began physically assaulting Sonia a year after their marriage after she discovered her husband’s ‘extramarital affair’. He also claimed Sahil’s family allegedly supported him.The victim’s family had earlier filed a complaint regarding the harassment at Hailey Mandi police post three years ago. However, a compromise was reached and Sonia returned to live with her in-laws. According to the FIR, the alleged mistreatment and physical assaults resumed shortly thereafter.Singh said Sonia had been living at her maternal home for the past month and had returned to her in-laws’ house on May 24. On May 26, Singh said he received a phone call from Sonia’s mother-in-law informing him that his daughter was admitted to a hospital and her condition was critical.“When I tried calling my daughter’s phone, it was answered by the police who informed me that she had passed away,” Singh stated in the FIR.When he rushed to their house in Jaidev Colony with the police, Singh alleged he found his daughter with deep marks on her neck and alleged foul play.Story continues below this adThe Hailey Mandi police post initially received information that the victim had died by suicide by hanging. When Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Narender Kumar reached the spot, the body was found on the floor near a bed.A team inspected the location, and the body was sent via private ambulance to the government hospital in Pataudi and then the Gurgaon mortuary.Police have booked five people: the husband Sahil, his brother Tilakraj, and their relatives — Vicky, Kallu, and Mamiya — who live in Palam Vihar, Delhi.Station House Officer of Pataudi police station Inspector Bijender Singh said investigation is underway. “We are in the process of sending notices to the accused to join the investigation, and are awaiting the post-mortem report before making any arrests. Prima facie, it appears to be a case of suicide.”Story continues below this adAlso Read | Gen Z was supposed to kill dowry. So why do modern marriages still feel transactional?Speaking with The Indian Express, Singh said the couple has two young boys, aged three and four, who are in a state of shock and unable to speak.“The police have called me to the station on Monday for an update on the probe. We will see then. I want justice for my daughter. She had studied in an ITI, while Sahil claimed to be a lab technician at a hospital,” he said.The case was registered late Tuesday night at the Pataudi police station under sections 80 (dowry death) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers southern Haryana. Education - Post-Graduate Diploma in Print Media, Asian College of Journalism (Class of 2020) - B.A. (Hons) Liberal Arts with a major in Political Science, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (Class of 2019) Professional Experience Before joining The Indian Express, he worked with Bar & Bench (legal journalism) and Frontline magazine, where he developed experience in court reporting, legal analysis, and long-form investigative features. Reporting Interests His work centres on civic accountability, environmental policy, urban infrastructure and culture, crime and law enforcement, and their intersections with politics and governance in and around Gurgaon. Recent Coverage (2025) - Crime: Reported on the recovery of 350 kg of explosives and an AK-47 from a rented house in Faridabad, linked to the 2025 Red Fort car explosion case (November 11, 2025). - Environmental policy: Covered protests outside a Haryana minister’s residence against a Supreme Court order that environmentalists argue could allow mining and real estate development on large parts of the Aravalli hills (December 21, 2025). - Pollution control measures: Co-authored coverage of the Rekha Gupta government’s enforcement of vehicle restrictions at Delhi-NCR borders (December 21, 2025). - Road safety and infrastructure: Examined response lapses in the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway hit-and-run case and ongoing investigations into high-speed road crimes in Gurugram. - Animal welfare policy: Reported on concerns regarding the low budget allocated for stray dog sterilization by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (November 30, 2025). - Urban culture: Featured the social media-driven popularity of a new Magnolia Bakery outlet in Gurugram (December 15, 2025). 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