Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde’s PA’s Wife Allegedly Dies By Suicide, Family Points To Harassment

A shocking case in Mumbai, the personal assistant’s wife of Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde has killed herself, reportedly due to severe harassment being the reason behind. The woman, Gauri Palve, has also been reported as Gauri Garje. She was the wife of Anant Garje who is the PA of Munde. The unfortunate incident took place at the couple’s home in the Worli area at around 11:30 PM on a Saturday. The local police from the Worli station have filed a case after it was rumored that Gauri was being subjected to severe mental and physical torture right before her death.

Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde’s PA’s Wife Allegedly Dies By Suicide, Family Points To Harassment

Family members say that the couple had been married for only a brief period. They also said that the deceased’s family had approached the local police station with a very strong protest, claiming that Gauri’s death was not suicide, but, in fact, murder. They argue that there were many incidents of harassment, the most serious of which were alleged physical assault and behaviour meant to push Gauri to her death. The police have sent the corpse for a post mortem and are finding out whether foul play was involved or Gauri took her own life.

Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde’s PA’s Wife Allegedly Dies By Suicide, Family Points To Harassment

The case has turned into a political hot potato very quickly because of its association with Pankaja Munde’s office. Munde, who was informed of the incident, immediately decided to pull out of her public engagements in Maharashtra, so she could be on the spot to monitor the developments. The whole episode raises several issues related to workplace harassment, mental health, and public servants’ family members’ protections. The authorities are yet to disclose the post-mortem results but the investigation will be all the more rigorous because of the family’s insistence on justice and accountability. 

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