India
PETALING JAYA: Taunted for her dark complexion and criticised for her cooking, a woman in India took revenge by poisoning food that led to the deaths of at least five people, including a seven-year-old child, and the hospitalisation of 120 others in the western state of Maharashtra.
The incident took place at the village of Mahad in the state's Raigad district, some 75km from capital Mumbai, last week, according to the Xinhua news agency.
“After five days of intense probe, we arrested housewife Pragya Survase on charges of mixing insecticide in food that was served to guests at one of her relative's housewarming party in Mahad village Monday (June 18),” a senior police official from New Delhi said Saturday.
Local media reports said that Survase, 28, had committed the crime of killing her husband, her parents-in-law and their relatives to take revenge against them as they had time and again taunted her for her dark complexion and also criticised her cooking.
Police zeroed in on Survase after forensic analysis of food samples served at the party confirmed the presence of insecticide, traces of which were also found near her relative's house, Xinhua reported.
During questioning of all family members, she fumbled and later broke down, police said.
“Survase has confessed to the crime citing marital, family disputes,” local police chief Anil Paraskar told the media.
She has been charged with murder, attempt to murder and conspiracy charges under the Indian Penal Code, as this resulted in the hospitalisation of 120 others, she faces a maximum charge of the death penalty.
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