Wife of Maharashtra minister’s PA dies by suicide; family alleges harassment

Mumbai, Nov 23 (PTI) The wife of Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde's personal assistant allegedly committed suicide at her residence in central Mumbai due to a domestic dispute, police said on Sunday.

Gauri Palve, wife of Anant Garje, a personal assistant to the state Animal Husbandry and Environment Minister Munde, was found hanging at her house in the Worli area on Saturday evening, an official said.

The couple had tied the knot in February this year, and Palve was a doctor at the dental department at the civic-run KEM Hospital, he said.

According to the police, Palve's family has alleged that she was tortured and harassed by her husband, and this led her to take the extreme step. They have demanded a thorough investigation into the death.

As per preliminary information, the suicide is suspected to be a result of domestic disputes, the official said, adding that an accidental death report has been registered and a probe is underway. PTI DC ARU