Delhi Newlywed Hid Alleged Abuse By Husband, Hoped Job Would End Taunts: Brother

Last Updated:July 07, 2026, 15:12 IST

Akriti Sutar, who married Arastu Sikka on April 24, resumed work on July 1. Four days later, she was found dead after allegedly falling from third floor of NDMC complex.

A 28-year-old Delhi woman who was found dead days after returning to work had hoped that continuing her job would eventually put an end to the alleged taunts she faced at her matrimonial home, her brother said on Monday, a day after police arrested her husband in connection with the alleged dowry harassment case.

Akriti Sutar, who married Arastu Sikka on April 24 after a two-year relationship, resumed work as a sales executive at a private company in Chhatarpur on July 1 after taking a break for her wedding. Four days later, she was found dead after allegedly falling from the third floor of an NDMC residential complex in Delhi’s Lodhi Colony.

Her husband has been arrested under provisions related to dowry death and cruelty by a husband or his relatives. Police said they are examining CCTV footage, call records, mobile phone data and other digital evidence to determine the circumstances leading to her death. The role of other family members is also under investigation.

Speaking to PTI, Akriti’s younger brother, Amay Sutar, said his sister believed she could overcome the alleged harassment by remaining financially independent instead of burdening her family.

According to him, Akriti was repeatedly taunted for not bringing enough household items after marriage and hoped that earning her own income would allow her to gradually purchase them.

‘Demanded Dowry Indirectly’

“They would say she hadn’t brought even basic things like a bed, sofa, wardrobe, fridge or air-conditioner," he said, alleging that Sikka’s family indirectly demanded Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh.

Rather than asking her family for financial help, Amay said Akriti wanted to deal with the situation herself.

“She told me, ‘You have just become financially stable. Don’t burden yourself. I will keep working and slowly manage everything myself. Maybe then they will stop saying these things," he recalled.

Amay said the family’s financial hardships heavily influenced his sister’s decisions. Their father died of cancer in 2019 after prolonged treatment left the family in debt.

“After my father passed away, she did a lot for me. Her only dream was to see me settled," he said.

According to the family, Sikka’s family had agreed before the wedding that Akriti would continue working. However, after the marriage, they allegedly reversed their position and told her there had never been any such understanding.

Amay alleged that his sister concealed much of the abuse, believing the situation would improve over time. The family initially assumed the couple was experiencing routine marital disagreements.

‘Complained About Being Slapped Once’

“When Akriti complained about being slapped once, our families intervened and attempted a reconciliation, hoping the situation would improve," he said.

It was only on July 3, a day before her death, that Akriti allegedly disclosed the extent of the physical abuse, threats and repeated harassment she had endured in the weeks following her marriage.

Also Read: Delhi Newlywed Hosted Office Party Hours Before She Was Found Dead; Family Claims Dowry Murder

Looking back, Amay said there had been signs that the family failed to fully understand.

“She became quieter after marriage. We thought she was just exhausted and settling in the new environment. Whenever we asked, she would simply say everything is alright," he said.

Amay Monitored Akriti’s Phone

He further alleged that Sikka exercised complete control over Akriti’s phone and frequently monitored her communications.

“He used to check everything. Even if her password changed accidentally, he would accuse her of having an affair, abuse her and beat her," Amay alleged.

According to him, Sikka also objected to Akriti speaking to her mother and brother over the phone and would question her over even minor changes to her mobile phone.

Amay said he had long been uncomfortable with his brother-in-law’s behaviour.

“If I forgot to greet him once, he would complain to my sister about it and make it into an issue. I used to think if someone could react like that over such a small thing, what must he be like inside the house," he said.

He also alleged that after Akriti informed her family about the abuse, Sikka threatened to have him assaulted and ensure he lost his job if she continued discussing their marital problems with her family.

Woman Searched ‘How To Die Easily’

Investigators are also examining a Google search for “how to die easily" recovered from Akriti’s phone history as part of the probe.

On July 4, Akriti left her office but never reached home. After repeated calls to her phone went unanswered, her family began searching for her.

Later that night, a police officer answered one of the calls and informed them that she had been admitted to a hospital after allegedly falling from the third floor of an NDMC residential complex in Lodhi Colony.

With inputs from PTI

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Prisha Vibhavari

Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news. She specialises in editorial leadership, sharp news judgment, and high-impact st...Read More

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