Anvita Sharma, a 29-year-old teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Delhi, was found dead at her home in Vasundhara on Sunday. In a heart-wrenching final message to her family, she described the relentless torment she endured from her husband and in-laws, accusing them of treating her as nothing more than a “working maid.”
Anvita’s text message, sent to her parents and brother, reflected her immense distress. She expressed how her husband, Dr. Gaurav Kaushik, “found fault with everything” she did, and how his family “only knew how to take.” Her final words to her husband were chilling: “I have prepared food, Gaurav Kaushik, please eat it.”
Who Was Anvita Sharma?
Anvita was a talented and dedicated educator, serving as a postgraduate teacher (PGT) in fine arts at Kendriya Vidyalaya, a position she had held since October 2019. Colleagues described her as passionate about her profession and deeply committed to her students. Beyond her career, she was a loving mother to her four-year-old son, trying to balance her responsibilities at work and home.
Married to Dr. Gaurav Kaushik on December 12, 2019, Anvita initially believed in building a happy life with her husband and his family. However, according to her messages and her father’s statement, she soon realized that her in-laws viewed her as merely a financial asset rather than a valued family member.
Why Did She Take This Step?
Anvita’s tragic decision was driven by relentless harassment and emotional abuse. In her final message, she revealed that her husband controlled her finances, including her salary, chequebook, and bank accounts. She accused her mother-in-law and father-in-law of continually pressuring her for more dowry, despite her family already providing Rs 26 lakh worth of gifts, including gold, silver, and a car.
Her father, Anil Sharma, alleged that Anvita was subjected to both physical and mental abuse when she refused to comply with their additional dowry demands. He stated that her in-laws regularly insulted her and exerted control over her earnings. The breaking point, according to the complaint, was on March 16, when Anvita was reportedly subjected to severe harassment, leading her to take her own life.
Legal Actions Taken
Following a complaint by Anvita’s family, police arrested her husband Gaurav Kaushik, and his father Surendra Sharma. Her mother-in-law, Manju, is currently absconding. The accused have been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including:
- Section 85: Cruelty by husband or relatives
- Section 80 (2): Punishment for dowry death
- Section 115 (2): Voluntarily causing hurt
- Section 352: Intentional insult to provoke breach of peace
- Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
A Cry for Justice
Anvita’s final message was not just a farewell but an indictment of the dowry system and domestic abuse that still plague society. Her last plea to her parents was for them to take care of her son, expressing her fear that he might grow up to mirror his father’s behavior.
Her untimely death has reignited conversations about the urgent need to protect women from domestic violence and financial exploitation. As legal proceedings unfold, Anvita’s family and supporters demand justice, hoping that her tragic story leads to greater awareness and reform in how such cases are handled in the future.
