The journey to become an assistant section officer (ASO) with the Ministry of Defence was not easy for 30-year-old Nazia Khanam. Hailing from Champaran in Bihar, where her father works as a truck driver, Nazia had shattered many glass ceilings to achieve her career goals.On August 21, she was found hanging at a house in Sector 23 of West Delhi’s Dwarka that she had rented with husband, Azam Ali Khan, after they got married in April. She was pregnant. Claiming that she was harassed and thrashed by her husband and her in-laws, her family has rejected the possibility that she may have died by suicide.Nazia’s body was reported to have been found by her husband at around 4 pm after a fight between them. In a statement to the police, Azam, an associate director at an e-commerce company in Gurgaon, said that they had an argument after which she locked him in another room and hanged herself with a dupatta from a ceiling fan. He said he managed to unlock himself with the help of the house owner.The couple got married on April 11 and moved to Bhetal Village in Dwarka Sector 23 about a month ago. They had rented the house so that commuting to work was convenient for both of them.Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Kushalpal Singh said that on August 21, Nazia’s family members appeared before the Executive Magistrate and recorded their statements.However, they did not raise any suspicion or make allegations against members of Nazia’s husband or his family. The following day, however, her parents appeared before the SDM again and submitted a fresh statement and allegations against her husband and other members of his family, Singh said.Police said they have registered a case under Sections 85 (cruelty by husband or relative) and 108 (abetment of suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Dwarka Sector 23 police station and have started an investigation. Nazia’s husband and his parents have been booked.Story continues below this ad‘Was her father’s strength,’ says cousin“She was the eldest among four siblings — two sisters and two brothers. They all looked up to her. She was the strength of her father. How can she die by suicide?” Nazia’s cousin, Minhas Alam, a businessman currently staying in Madhya Pradesh, told The Indian Express.“Coming from a small village, she had overcome many obstacles in her professional journey. There is some foul play behind her death,” Minhas said, adding that the family is taking Nazia’s body back to Bihar for the last rites after the post-mortem examination.Her brother, Shadab Khan, an engineer posted in Kolkata, said, “My sister was very happy after she cleared the Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level, a government exam, and was posted as an ASO in the Defence Ministry. Earlier, she was deployed as a tax assistant in the Income Tax department. She wanted to pursue the Bihar Public Service Commission exam next.”“She was murdered and the body was staged to look like a suicide by her husband,” Shadab alleged. The family has made similar allegations in the statement to the SDM.Story continues below this adShadab said he had reservations about Azam from the start when the families were arranging the marriage. The family had demanded dowry, but others convinced Azam to go ahead with the marriage, Shadab claimed.“Today, we regret it. My sister complained about her husband and his family… they would belittle her for her job and compare her mother-in-law to her. They would say your husband will earn more,” Shadab said, adding that they would often beat her when she tried to stand up to their comments.He said Nazia also complained that her husband spent long hours on the phone and did not give her time despite her pregnancy.Police said all necessary legal and procedural steps were initiated after the PCR call was received. Further investigation is underway, and action will be taken on the basis of evidence and facts that emerge during the probe.