UP man beats 7-month pregnant wife to death, assaults mother who intervenes

A domestic dispute took a violent turn in Mayora village under the Bilgram Kotwali police station area of Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district, where 24-year-old Kiran, who was seven months pregnant, was allegedly beaten to death with a stick by her husband, Vishal.

Kiran’s mother-in-law, Prema, who rushed to save her during the assault, was also beaten and injured by Vishal. Kiran was taken to Bilgram CHC by ambulance in critical condition, where doctors declared her dead.

Prema, a resident of Mayora village under Bilgram Kotwali, has three sons. Her son Vishal Pal married Kiran around three years ago. The couple has a one-year-old daughter, and Kiran was around seven months pregnant.

The accused husband fled the spot after the incident but was later traced and detained by police.

On Tuesday evening, the husband and wife got into an argument over money, which soon turned into a physical altercation. Vishal allegedly started beating Kiran with a stick. When Prema tried to intervene and stop her son, he also assaulted his mother.

Hearing screams from the house, neighbours reached the spot and informed the police and ambulance services. Kiran, who was seriously injured, was taken to Bilgram Community Health Centre, where doctors declared her dead. Police reached the spot after receiving information about the incident and began an investigation.

Police conducted the inquest proceedings and sent the body to the mortuary for post-mortem examination. Kiran’s family at her maternal home was also informed about the incident.

Additional Superintendent of Police (East) Hardoi Subodh Gautam said police received information through Dial 112 at around 5 pm that Kiran had been assaulted by her husband, Vishal Pal, with a wooden stick while he was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.

Gautam said Kiran sustained serious injuries and was taken to CHC Bilgram for treatment, where doctors declared her dead. The police team subsequently detained Vishal, he said.

“Upon receiving the information, the local police immediately reached the spot, completed the inquest proceedings as per procedure and sent the body to the mortuary for post-mortem examination,” Gautam said.

He added that further legal action would be taken after receiving the complaint.

WHAT THE MOTHER-IN-LAW SAID

Prema said the dispute was over money and that her son was asking Kiran for an account of the money he had given her two days earlier.

She said Kiran told Vishal that she had Rs 2,000 and did not want to spend all of it on ration or other goods, as money would be needed later as well.

Prema said she tried to intervene and told her son, “Don’t ask for money, let it be.” Vishal, however, allegedly warned her not to interfere and threatened to “finish” her too.

“When he started beating her, I went to save her, but he pushed me out through the door. After that, I ran around asking everyone for help,” Prema said.

She claimed that people in the neighbourhood were too scared to intervene. According to her, even when she pleaded with a woman she described as her sister-in-law for help, Vishal told her to “go and mind your own household”.

Prema said she then ran around with an 11-year-old girl, calling for help, but no one came forward. “Then I called 112 (police). I kept telling everyone that he would kill her,” she said.

She alleged that Vishal beat Kiran with a bamboo stick and was also wearing an iron bangle. Prema said she did not know whether the injury to Kiran’s head was caused by the bangle or the stick, but maintained that Vishal beat her with the stick.

Prema also alleged that Vishal had assaulted her in the past and broken her hand. She claimed he had also assaulted his father and broken his hand, and beaten his sister.

“He works as a labourer. He loads and unloads goods from trucks and sometimes unloads steel rods from trucks,” she said.