• Dr. Meenakshi, a 37-year-old government doctor posted at Civil Hospital, Kapurthala, was found dead at her rented residence in Jalandhar.
• Punjab Police registered a case against her husband, eye surgeon Dr. Piyush Sood, under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following a complaint filed by her father.
• The FIR alleges that Dr .Meenakshi discovered substantial debt linked to her name without her consent and had been facing marital disputes and alleged harassment.
Dr. Meenakshi, a 37-year-old government doctor posted at Civil Hospital, Kapurthala, was found dead at her rented residence in Jalandhar on Wednesday. Following the incident, Punjab Police registered a case against her husband, eye surgeon Dr. Piyush Sood, under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to abetment of suicide.
The complaint filed by her father alleges that she had recently learned of loans worth nearly ₹2.5 crore linked to her name without her knowledge or consent. The FIR also cites ongoing marital discord, alleged extramarital affairs, financial disagreements, and harassment.
Authorities have initiated an investigation, and the postmortem report is awaited.
The FIR states that Dr. Meenakshi took a ₹35 lakh loan shortly after her marriage in 2018 to help establish National Eye Care Hospital, operated by Dr. Piyush Sood. Her father told police that she later became aware of substantial liabilities associated with her name while applying for a home loan in Jalandhar.
Family members alleged that the debt surfaced after she reviewed her CIBIL records. The complaint further claims that the borrowings were obtained without her consent and that she was threatened when she sought clarification and requested removal of her name from the liability.
The FIR also alleges that Dr. Piyush Sood was involved in an extramarital relationship. The Times of India reported that Dr. Meenakshi allegedly discovered a video showing her husband with another woman, which was later handed over to investigators.
Her father further claimed that she endured repeated harassment and physical abuse. In the FIR, he alleged, “In 2025, he also tried to kill my daughter by strangulating her. She informed the police helpline about the incident. After that, she started living separately in a rented accommodation.”
Based on the complaint filed by her father, Punjab Police registered a case against Dr. Piyush Sood under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The Times of India reported that the FIR was lodged at Division No. 6 police station in Jalandhar after the family accused him of financial misconduct, domestic abuse, and prolonged harassment. NDTV reported that Dr. Piyush Sood was not immediately available, and that police teams were attempting to locate him.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rakesh Kumar Yadav told NDTV that police were trying to trace Dr. Piyush Sood.
Investigators are also awaiting the postmortem report as part of the ongoing inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Dr. Meenakshi's death, The Indian Express reported.
Also see: 23 Percent Women in India Faced Intimate Partner Violence in 2023: The Lancet
The complaint cited by The Times of India a
lleges that Dr. Meenakshi faced difficulties arising from both personal and financial disputes. Her father claimed that she discovered loans worth nearly ₹2.5 crore linked to her name while exploring the purchase of a house and later approached family members regarding the issue.
Family members also told The Indian Express that she had been living separately from her husband and had previously contacted police following an alleged assault. The FIR further alleges that ongoing disputes within the marriage contributed to emotional distress.
In the complaint, her father claimed that the financial burden and continuing conflicts left Dr. Meenakshi under “severe mental stress.”
Police have not established whether the allegations were directly connected to her death.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are awaiting the postmortem findings as part of the inquiry.
(Rh/TP)
