Is it a murder most foul that the Ponda Police, underpolitical pressure is trying to cover up or did crippled Chhaya Naik reallyhang herself to death? Either way the law seems to be in no mood to deliverjustice. What is even more shocking is that a newly-wed girl allegedly hungherself just months after her marriage but the police does not deem it fit toinvestigate the matter under the anti-dowry law.
39 year old Chhaya Naik, a resident of Agapur, Ponda was oneof the first recipients of Goa Government’s prestigious Ladli Laxmi scheme.Disabled in her left hand, Chhaya was married to Renukant Naik, a deaf and muteboy from Aksanwada, Shiroda in May this year. Chhaya was found hanging from thewooden rafters of her home. Even an alleged suicide note was found in herperson. But what is even more baffling is the fact that a newlywed’s death wasregistered as unnatural death by Ponda Police yet it did not seem to be in anymood to investigate. While it was only Chhaya’s brother Santosh’s insistencethat opened a magisterial enquiry into the case, what is shocking is Ponda Police’sillogical investigative premise. The Goan’s own investigation raises even moreserious issues behind this coverup.
On October 2, Santosh Naik received a phone call from NeerajNaik, Chhaya Naik’s brother-in-law that Chhaya was unwell after consumingpainkiller for her toothache. Santosh, a motorcycle pilot found it suspiciousthat “a frantic call be made for a toothache”. Santosh says, “When I saw thebody at her home, I suspected something was fishy”. It was Renukant’s cousin’swife who told Santosh that Chhaya had hung herself from the rafters on theroof. “But Chhaya’s left hand was disabled and a sari is a pretty long andunwieldy thing for a one handed person to hang” says Santosh. Neighbours ofChhaya at Agapur that it was impossible to commit such an act.
Santosh told The Goan that Chhaya’s inlaws told her thatthey had brought her down thinking that there was a chance that she wouldsurvive. “But it didn’t look like it. If they would have tried to revive herthey should have sprinkled water. There was no water on her clothes or her bodyto suggest this” recollects Santosh.
But the investigation grew even more murkier when Ponda SDMJohnson Fernandes told Chhaya’s family initially that a suicide note was foundin her person. In her suicide note, Chhaya is supposed to have besides allegingharassment by her in-laws asked her husband to remarry. Santosh howevermaintains that the suicide note has not been written by his deceased sister"Chhaya had studied up to Class IX class and writes fluent Konkani. Thisletter’s language and content was unlike that of Chhaya’s" says Santosh.SDM Fernandes has confirmed that the handwriting was being verified.
But many a question remains about the motive of her death.“My sister lost her life because of the money we had received from Laadli LaxmiScheme after her marriage” alleges Santosh Naik. Investigations with the familyreveal that the Ladli Laxmi largesse was a bone of contention. Santosh revealsthat Chhaya had informed her friends that her in laws were demanding 1 lakhrupees that she received from Laadli Laxmi scheme to repay the loan, which theyhad taken during the marriage of their son Renukant. “But she didn’t inform usfearing fights between both families, I would have managed the money to keep mysister happy”, says Santosh breaking into tears. Santosh explained thatChhaya’s Ladli Laxmi benefits were paid out to creditors who had provided aidfor her marriage besides getting back pawned jewellery.
But the biggest mystery remains as to why the has police notregistered a case under Section 304B of Indian Penal Code given the fact thatthe death happened less than seven years in the marriage.
