A heartbreaking scene played out at the Jabalpur SP office on Sunday, as an elderly mother arrived clutching a bundle containing her daughter's ashes, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded for justice. Laxmi Namdev alleged that her daughter's death was no accident, but a calculated murder carried out by her own son-in-law.
A Love Marriage That Turned Into a Nightmare
Pinky Namdev, a resident of Pauda village in Jabalpur, had married Mahendra Namdev of Katni in a love marriage back in 2014. The couple went on to have two children, and for a while life seemed settled. In search of a better livelihood, the family relocated to Valsad in Gujarat in 2018. It was there that Mahendra developed a drinking habit, and he gradually began assaulting Pinky and the children on a regular basis.
The June 5 Assault and a Brief Return to Jabalpur
According to Laxmi Namdev, Mahendra brutally beat Pinky on June 5. Shaken by the assault, Pinky fled with her two children to Jabalpur. A few days later, Mahendra followed her there, apologised, and persuaded her to return with him to Valsad. Pinky, however, no longer trusted her husband, so instead of moving back in with him she began living separately in a rented house in Valsad. She also took up a job at a company to support herself.
The Evening of June 30, When Everything Changed
Laxmi Namdev alleges that on the evening of June 30, as Pinky finished her shift and stepped out of the company premises, Mahendra was already waiting for her. He allegedly began assaulting her on the spot before forcibly dragging her towards a nearby railway track. There, according to the allegation, he pushed Pinky in front of an oncoming train, killing her instantly. The mother said that it was Mahendra himself who called the family afterward to inform them of Pinky's death.
The July 2 Cremation and a Mother's Fear
Pinky's last rites were performed in Valsad on July 2. Following the cremation, Laxmi Namdev grew fearful that her son-in-law and his relatives might try to take away her daughter's ashes. Adding to her distress, Mahendra was allegedly threatening to kill the two young children as well. Driven by this fear, Laxmi undertook a nearly 1000 kilometre journey carrying her daughter's ashes and the two children, travelling all the way to Jabalpur to seek protection and justice directly from the police.
What the Police Have Said
The Jabalpur police have taken the elderly mother's complaint seriously. Officials said they are in touch with the Gujarat police to gather complete details of the case. They have made it clear that if the investigation turns up evidence of murder or any other crime, strict legal action will be taken against the accused.
