Ahmedabad: The tragic death of a 33-year-old woman, Viraj Vaniya, and her seven-year-old son, who suffered a speech ailment, has left her family devastated and demanding justice. Viraj, who died by suicide, had endured six years of domestic violence at the hands of her in-laws, including her husband, Miteshkumar, a police officer, alleged her family members.
Her elder brother, Vikesh Solanki, who is in the Army, has called for strict action, urging that his brother-in-law be “stripped of his uniform for dishonouring the police force”. “He was part of a disciplined force but failed to honour its values,” said Solanki.
Speaking to the media, Solanki revealed, “Viraj often shared her ordeal over phone calls, but never left her marital home due to her son’s speech ailment. He could barely speak and was undergoing therapy.”
The harassment was relentless, alleged Solanki. Viraj was denied access to a smartphone and was forced to use an outdated keypad phone, said her brother.”Someone from her husband’s family would accompany her even if she was just visiting the neighbour. This Rakshabandhan, I requested her to come to the Army cantonment, but she was initially denied permission to visit me. We had to pressure the family into allowing her to meet me. A week later, when my aunty who stayed near her house met Viraj, she noticed injury marks on her. My sister had been assaulted for meeting me on Rakshabandhan day.”
