Nadia, 08 March (H.S.):

An 18-year-old woman was found hanging in her house in West Bengal’s Nadia district a day before her wedding, the police said on Sunday.

The incident took place in Shantipur under Shantipur police station area. The deceased has been identified as Sheela Biswas, a resident of Ward No. 16 in the town.

According to the police and local sources, the woman’s wedding had been scheduled for Monday with a youth from the same locality, and preparations for the ceremony had already been completed.

Family members said Biswas appeared normal on Saturday night and had dinner before going to sleep. She shared a room with her grandmother.

On Sunday morning, when the grandmother stepped out for a while and later returned, she found the woman hanging inside the room and raised an alarm, following which other family members and neighbours rushed to the spot and informed the police.

The police arrived at the scene, recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem.

Investigators said they were trying to ascertain whether it was a case of suicide or if any other factor was involved. Family members, the groom-to-be and his relatives are being questioned as part of the probe.

The woman’s father and brother told reporters that there had been no family dispute and the marriage had been arranged with her consent. They said she had also participated in wedding shopping and other preparations in recent days.

The police said further investigation is underway.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey