New Delhi: A 30-year-old Assistant Section Officer (ASO) working with the Ministry of Defence, who was three months pregnant, was found dead at her home in Delhi’s Dwarka on August 21. The deceased has been identified as Naziya Khanam. Her family has alleged that she faced mental and physical harassment from her husband and in-laws.
Naziya had married Ajm Ali Khan on April 11, 2026, around four months before her death. According to police and family statements reported by multiple outlets, she had allegedly complained to her family about problems in her matrimonial home.
Family alleges repeated harassment
According to an FIR and statements given by the family, Naziya’s father Towab Khan alleged that his daughter was repeatedly subjected to verbal abuse, physical assault and threats by her husband, mother-in-law Samin/Sameen Nisha, father-in-law Babar Ali Khan and other members of the matrimonial family. The family has alleged that she had informed them about the problems several times.
The allegations include claims of threats to throw her out of the house and threats to her life. These are allegations made by the family and are being examined as part of the police investigation.
Husband’s account of what happened
According to the police account, Naziya and her husband had gone to a hospital for a check-up on the day of the incident. After returning home, the couple reportedly had an argument.
Police said the husband told them that Naziya subsequently locked herself in another room. When he later entered the room, he found her hanging from a window.
The family, however, has questioned this account and expressed suspicion about the circumstances of her death. They have alleged that the death may have been made to appear as suicide. No such allegation has been established by the investigation so far.
Police register case against husband and in-laws
Following a subsequent complaint by the family, Delhi Police registered a case at Sector 23 Police Station under Sections 85 and 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to cruelty by a husband or his relatives and abetment of suicide. The family has also demanded that a dowry-death provision be added to the FIR.
The Times of India reported that the husband was absconding at the time of its report.
Post-mortem and investigation
Naziya’s body was taken to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for post-mortem examination. According to sources, the post-mortem had not yet been conducted at the time of publication, while the family demanded that the process be videographed and that all evidence be preserved.
Police said further action will depend on the post-mortem findings, statements from the family and other witnesses, and evidence collected from the scene.
The circumstances surrounding Naziya’s death, as well as the allegations of harassment made by her family, remain under investigation. Until the investigation and post-mortem are completed, the family’s allegation of murder or a staged suicide cannot be treated as an established fact.
