Tragic Case in Ludhiana: Man Dies by Suicide After Ex-Wife's UK Relocation Amid Conflicting Claims

Following the suicide of a man from Ludhiana, Punjab, his former wife released a video from London refuting allegations and claiming she experienced mental torture and dowry harassment from her in-laws.

Ludhiana Police have registered a case against Kirandeep Kaur and her parents based on a complaint from 24-year-old Sunil Kumar's family. The family alleges that after Kaur relocated to England and cut off communication, Kumar fell into depression, ultimately leading to his death by suicide.

According to village head Sukhwinder Singh, Kumar and Kaur married in June 2019. He claims Kumar sold land worth Rs 11 lakh to finance Kaur's travel to England. The village head also alleged that Kaur and her parents had Kumar sign divorce papers without his understanding, promising him she would later help him move to England.

After their divorce in September 2024, Sukhwinder Singh stated that Kaur married Gurpreet Singh one month later. Kumar's mother revealed that her son had personally formalized Kaur's second marriage in court, as this arrangement was meant to facilitate Kaur's travel to England on a study visa. The family understood that once in England, Kaur would divorce Gurpreet Singh and remarry Kumar.

The village head claimed that after Kaur reached the UK, she stopped responding to calls from Kumar and his family, despite Kumar reportedly seeing her off when she departed.

In her video response, Kaur alleged that Kumar and his parents had harassed her for dowry beginning just days after their wedding. She claimed Kumar frequently threatened suicide, behavior his family later admitted predated their marriage. She denied being pressured into divorce, stating it was finalized in court in August 2024, with documentation to prove it.

Kaur, who holds a B.Ed. degree, stated she never wanted to go abroad but was pressured by Kumar to take the IELTS exam and leave India. She added that Kumar's family later mentally tortured her because her family wouldn't share the expenses for her overseas travel.

Contradicting the family's timeline, Kaur claimed they married in June 2021, not 2019. She also stated they hadn't spoken for 25 days before Kumar's suicide on December 8.

An FIR has been registered against Kaur, her parents, and Gurpreet Singh under Sections 108 (abetment to suicide), 318(4) (cheating), and 3(5) (criminal act done with common intention) of the Bharat Nyay Sanhita.

Helplines: Vandrevala Foundation for Mental Health - 9999666555 or help@vandrevalafoundation.com; TISS iCall - 022-25521111 (Monday-Saturday: 8 am to 10 pm). If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.