A chilling twist has emerged in the alleged murder of a 32 year old Indian woman whose body was flown back to India from Thailand late Tuesday night, January 14.
Lucknow police, acting on her family’s complaint, are set to conduct a second post-mortem today to uncover the truth behind her suspicious demise.
The woman, Priyanka Sharma’s husband, city-based doctor Ashish Srivastava, has been accused of torturing and killing her during a holiday in Pattaya. The Thai autopsy listed respiratory and circulatory failure as the cause of death, but Priyanka’s family suspects foul play.
“They had marital issues since 2021, after the birth of their son.”
Satyanarayan Sharma, Priyanka’s father accused Dr Srivastava of harassment linked to an alleged extramarital affair. According to the grieving father, Dr Srivastava gave Priyanka sedatives before orchestrating her drowning in the hotel bathtub.
The couple, who had a love marriage in 2017, reportedly travelled to Thailand this month to lift Priyanka’s spirits after her mother’s recent passing. But the holiday turned deadly on January 8, when Priyanka’s drowning was reported.
The accused doctor returned to India on January 10, leaving the woman’s body in Thailand. A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against him, and police are reviewing the Thai autopsy.
Deputy Commissioner Of Police Pankaj Kumar Singh stated, “The autopsy report from Thailand will be evaluated.”
Police have also highlighted delays in conducting the local post-mortem due to a lack of experts. However, today’s examination is expected to be pivotal in determining whether Priyanka’s death was an accident or a meticulously planned murder, reported Times of India.
ORIGINAL STORY: Indian doctor accused of killing wife in Pattaya bathtub drowning
A romantic getaway in Pattaya turned into a nightmarish scene from a horror movie as an Indian doctor based in the city of Lucknow stands accused of murdering his wife by sedating her and causing her to drown in a hotel bathtub.
The chilling allegations against the doctor, 38 year old Ashish Srivastava, were made by his father-in-law, Satyanarayan Sharma, in a letter to Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya.
The victim, 32 year old Priyanka Sharma, was found dead in the bathtub of the couple’s hotel room in the early hours of January 8.
“Ashish used his medical knowledge to administer sedatives to my daughter and conspired to drown her. He later told us she died by drowning but I am convinced he murdered her.”
The couple, who had a love marriage (rather than an arranged marriage) in 2017, reportedly saw their relationship deteriorate after Priyanka gave birth to a baby boy in 2021. The deceased’s father claimed their marriage grew strained due to Ashish’s alleged illicit relationships and mental and physical harassment.
“She even filed a police complaint earlier but we convinced her to give their relationship another chance.”
Family members revealed that Ashish had taken Priyanka to Thailand under the pretext of cheering her up after her mother’s death in October. The trip, which was supposed to end yesterday, January 14, took a tragic turn, reported The Times of India.
“Ashish and his family returned to India on January 10, leaving Priyanka’s body behind.”
Additional DCP Pankaj Kumar Singh confirmed the registration of a report under Section 103(1) for murder.
“A thorough investigation is underway.”
This case, shrouded in allegations of betrayal and murder, has left the family devastated and seeking justice for Priyanka’s untimely death.
