Ex-DCP’s son held after 28-year-old hangs self on day he married another woman

A 28-year-old woman allegedly hanged herself in Mumbai on the day her boyfriend married another woman. The accused, son of a former top cop, has been accused of torturing the woman.

Sakinaka police in Mumbai have arrested the son of a retired Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) after a 28-year-old woman, working as a HR professional in a multinational company, allegedly died by suicide. The woman, identified as Sonali Sadafule, took the extreme step on the very same day when her boyfriend married another woman.

The accused, Atish Katakdhond, also beat Sonali, tortured her for dowry and attempted to rape her last year on the pretext of marriage, her family has alleged. The victim in her suicide note has blamed former DCP Bapu Katakdhond and her son for her death and efforts are underway to trace the absconding family members of the accused.

The couple reportedly met in 2012, fell in love with each other and started dating each other. The victim’s mother, in her police complaint, said that both the families were aware of the relationship but Atish’s family constantly pressured their family for dowry of Rs 25 lakh. The marriage was not solemnized.

The family alleged that Atish made false promises to Sonali on the pretext of marriage and manipulated her, which left the victim traumatised and worried. Her mother also claimed that Atish forced Sonali to establish a physical relationship with him, following which a case was also filed under sections 376 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Gorai police station in 2021.

Sonali had also tried to end her life that time, her mother said. Atish was facing difficulties getting a job, so he contacted Sonali again on the promise of marrying her.

The couple bought a house on the outskirts of Mumbai for which Sonali gave Rs 5 lakh, the family said. But as soon as Atish’s family came to know about this, they locked the house and threatened Sonali to go away from Atish’s life.

However, this time too, Atish somehow managed to convince Sonali and they patched up again, the complaint read.

On December 10, Sonali’s family had gone to a village to attend their relative’s wedding and three days later, Rupali, the victim’s sister, informed them that Atish’s marriage had been fixed. An inconsolable Sonali reached the wedding venue on December 14 along with her friend but was stopped at the gate.

Unable to bear the shock of her boyfriend’s marriage, she hanged herself using a saree.

Police have arrested Atish and registered a case under section 306, 384,120B, 323, 504, 506 of IPC. Atish Katkadhond’s father, retired DCP Bapu Katkadhond, Atish’s mother, Smita Katkadhond, and Atish’s sister Shruti Katkadhond and his other family members have also been named in the FIR and efforts are underway to nab them.