32-year-old, former beauty queen Jyoti Malani committed suicide in Bengaluru after killing her daughter. Jyoti had uploaded four videos of herself on social media before deciding to take the fatal step. Jyoti Malani was the titleholder of 'Shining Star' Star' at the Mrs India Karnataka -2019 beauty pageant. Beauty pageants are big business in India and in 2017 the Indian girl won Miss World title in China. Her suicide has shocked her friends who had always admired her as a fitness freak and "bubbly" girl. Jyoti's husband Pankaj Sultania owns a chain of hardware shops in the city.
He has been arrested by the police for questioning as the brother of Jyoti complained that he was harassing her. The Indian Express has reported that she was a winner in a beauty pageant in Bangalore for married women this year.
Suicide note
The ex-beauty queen, in a suicide note, has blamed her husband for her suicide. It is understood that before killing herself she pushed her daughter aged seven from the 20th floor of the building before jumping herself. Before killing she uploaded four videos of herself on social media.
This is a sad story but has become common in India. Many women are committing suicides because of a broken relationship and harassment either by the husband or her in-laws.
Despite tightening up the laws the Modi government has not been able to stop this harassment of young women. The police have been quick to act and the husband has been taken into custody for questioning. There is a possibility for the charge of abetting suicide could be framed against him. The New India express has reported that the 7-year-old girl wrote that she didn't want to stay with daddy and was going with mummy.
Young women suicides
Jyoti was earlier in a relationship with her husband before marrying him. She hails from Gwalior in MP and was residing in a posh locality in Bangalore. Neighbours have reported that they had frequent fights and after another fight on Saturday her husband went away to his brother's place, that's when Jyoti committed suicide.
With her husband in custody one is reminded of a similar case a few months back when a woman had killed herself along with her two-year-old baby. Her husband was arrested for abettment of suicide under section 306.
Jia Khan
Police in India takes suicide cases of young women seriously. One of the more famous cases was the suicide by actress Jia Khan by hanging. Her mother called it murder but after investigation, the police arrested her boyfriend Pancholi who has been charged with abettment to suicide. The crime under section 306 of the IPC carries a sentence of up to 10 years in jail.
There are also many deaths by suicide because of dowry harassment, which is the bane of Indian society. Jyoti's is a sad case made sadder as she dragged her daughter to death along with her. This makes for chilling news. The fashion world is in a state of shock as Jyoti, only a few months back, had won an award in the Mrs Karnataka beauty pageant. Her suicide is thus more surprising.
