In a tragic and shocking turn of events, 18-year-old Sanika alias Gayatri Manik Pawar from Waghave village died after allegedly being forced to consume pesticide by her lover. The incident, rooted in a strained love affair, has sparked outrage among the local community and Sanika’s grieving family. According to the police, Sanika and 21-year-old Aditya Dilip Patil, also from Waghave, were in a romantic relationship. On April 30, Sanika left home saying she was headed to college. Later that day, her friend informed her family that Sanika had consumed some substance and had been admitted to a private hospital by Aditya.
Despite emergency treatment, her condition deteriorated, and she died on May 8 while undergoing care. The initial case was treated as an attempted suicide, but following her death, and statements from her family, police escalated the charges to include abetment to suicide, and are now investigating it as a murder. Sanika’s relatives, Santosh Gole and Shashikant Chavan, have alleged that Aditya deliberately poisoned her after she refused to listen to him. "He trapped our daughter in a fake love affair and forced her to drink pesticide when she resisted him," the family claimed.
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Aditya was arrested on May 3 after a complaint was lodged by Sanika’s mother, but was released on bail after three days in custody. With her subsequent death, authorities are now preparing to re-arrest him as per court orders.
Panhala Police Inspector Sanjay Bomble confirmed that CCTV footage from the scene is being reviewed and a thorough investigation is underway. “The full truth will come out soon,” he assured. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, reigniting discussions about the vulnerability of young women in toxic relationships and the need for stronger protective measures.