Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal

Bantwal, May 20: An unmarried lady identified as Gunavathi (25), a resident of Arambodi, Beltangady taluk, died under suspicious circumstances at Allipade here on Monday May 19.

Right from her childhood, she had been staying at her aunt’s house in Attalike Paraneeru of Allipade in Navoor village. She was the eldest among the three daughters of Thimmappa and was earning a living by doing beedi work at home.

It is said that on Monday, she fell sick after returning from a self-help group meeting, and soon she was rushed to Bantwal hospital and then to a government hospital in Mangalore for further treatment as directed by the doctor, but she breathed her last on the way.

To the family's utter shock, the doctor who checked Gunavathi in Bantwal hospital reportedly told them that she was pregnant, but it was not known who was responsible for the pregnancy.

Sources said that a man who knew of her poor financial condition may have taken advantage of her, promising her of marriage and better life. It is suspected that she was given poison or some pills to prevent or abort the pregnancy, which proved fatal. The exact reason for her death is yet to be ascertained, as post-mortem reports are still awaited.

Bantwal rural police have registered an unnatural death report and further investigations are on.

The body was handed over to the family after the post-mortem.