Tue Feb 18 14:12:25 UTC 2025: ## Four-Year-Old’s Drawing Leads to Arrest in Uttar Pradesh Domestic Violence Case
**Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh:** A four-year-old girl’s drawing has become key evidence in a domestic violence case that ended in the death of her mother in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. Sonali Budholia, 27, was found dead on Monday, initially reported as a suicide by her in-laws. However, her daughter, Darshita, provided a drawing depicting the alleged assault and murder by her father, Sandeep Budholia, a medical representative.
Darshita’s statement corroborated the drawing, alleging that her father assaulted and killed her mother, then staged the scene to look like a suicide. She claimed her father threatened to kill her mother repeatedly and even beat her, demanding a son after the birth of Darshita.
Sonali’s father, Sanjeev Tripathi, reported a history of domestic abuse, alleging years of harassment and demands for dowry, including a car, after their 2019 wedding. He claimed that the abuse intensified after Darshita’s birth. He also stated he previously reported the abuse to the police, resulting in a temporary compromise.
Police, initially informed of a suicide, arrested Sandeep Budholia after Sonali’s family refused a post-mortem until the in-laws were arrested. A case has been registered, and investigations are ongoing based on the child’s testimony and the illustration. The incident highlights the ongoing issue of domestic violence and dowry-related deaths in India.
First Piper 