(Trigger warning: Mention of deaths by suicide and other graphic details)
After allegedly being pressured to get married, two sisters jumped off the 11th floor of an under-construction residential building in Noida, Sector 96, on Saturday, 10 September, according to a report by The Indian Express.
The elder sister, aged 19, fell directly on the ground and died on the spot, the publication reported, quoting police sources.
The younger sister, aged 17, reportedly fell on an iron bar on the way down and sustained injuries on her face. She was found around 5 am and rushed to the Safdarjung hospital. Her condition remains critical, according to the report.
The preliminary investigation conducted by the police reportedly revealed that the girls allegedly had a fight with their mother and family members on Friday night over marriage.
No Evidence of Foul Play So Far
The girls left their home after midnight, police sources told The Indian Express. The building didn't have any security and anyone could enter.
“Their father died some time ago, and they lived with their mother at Sadarpur village in Noida. On Friday night, the girls fought with their uncle, who was asking them to get married, but they refused. The mother had also saved some money and was speaking of marriage. The girls got angry and left," a senior police officer told the publication.
"Prima facie, the elder sister jumped first. The younger one tried to pull her sister back, but in vain. After this, she also jumped but her fall was broken by the bar,” he added.
Police is reportedly checking CCTVs around the society to ascertain the sequence of events, but there is no evidence of foul play so far.
The mother works at a private company in Noida and is the sole breadwinner, according to the report. When she woke up and discovered that her daughters weren’t home, she called relatives and friends to look for them.
“I don’t want to talk much. I never forced them to get married. I am a widow and wanted them to settle down. We have never pressured them,” she told the publication.
(With inputs from The Indian Express)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)