NCW seeks report on Twisha Sharma death as Bhopal Police back second autopsy request

The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of the death of 33-year-old Noida resident Twisha Sharma in Bhopal and sought a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) from the Madhya Pradesh government within seven days, even as Bhopal Police said they had no objection to the deceased woman's family's demand for a second post-mortem examination.

Twisha was found dead on the night of 12 May at her marital home in Bhopal's Katara Hills area, less than five months after her marriage. Police have registered a case against her husband, advocate Samarth Singh, and her mother-in-law, retired judge Giribala Singh, under provisions related to dowry death and harassment.

Bhopal Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar said the deceased woman's family had approached him seeking support for a second autopsy.

“The family members of the deceased came to me and submitted an application. I told them police have no objection to another post-mortem,” Kumar told PTI.

He said the application had been attached to the case diary and that permission for a second autopsy rested with the court.

“Police are not averse to it. If a second post-mortem takes place, we have no objection. We have carried out our investigation and examined the evidence. These things take some time,” he said.

A Judicial Magistrate First Class court was scheduled to examine the case diary on Wednesday after Twisha's family moved an application seeking a fresh post-mortem examination at AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), Delhi.

According to the plea, the family has alleged lapses in the investigation and pointed out that the FIR (First Information Report) was registered three days after Twisha was found dead. The application also claimed that the short post-mortem report recorded that investigators had not provided the ligature allegedly used in the hanging during the autopsy process.

Advocate Ankur Pandey, appearing for the family, had earlier said a second post-mortem was being sought at AIIMS Delhi.

NCW seeks details of investigation

The NCW said it had taken cognisance of media reports concerning the circumstances surrounding Twisha's death and allegations made by her family regarding dowry harassment, mental harassment and physical abuse.

In a post on X, the Commission said Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar had written to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary and Director General of Police directing them to ensure an immediate, fair and time-bound investigation.

“The Commission has asked for a detailed ATR to be submitted within seven days,” it said.

The NCW has sought details relating to the FIR, the arrest and interrogation status of the accused, efforts to apprehend Samarth Singh, passport impoundment proceedings, CCTV footage, call records, forensic and electronic evidence, post-mortem findings and action taken on any prior complaints.

It also directed authorities to ensure protection for the victim's family from threats, pressure or attempts at character assassination to facilitate a fair investigation.

Condemning the incident, the Commission said negligence or misuse of influence in cases involving alleged dowry harassment and domestic violence would not be tolerated and strict action should be taken against those found guilty.

Husband absconding, SIT probing case

Police said teams have been constituted to arrest Samarth Singh, who remains absconding. Authorities have announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for information leading to his arrest.

Twisha and Samarth Singh were married in December 2025.

The deceased woman's family has repeatedly demanded a second autopsy, alleging that injury marks on her body were not reflected in the initial post-mortem report.

Pandey has also alleged that because Giribala Singh's sister is a surgeon based in Bhopal, the family fears she could influence any subsequent autopsy conducted in the city. He further claimed that the surgeon was seen near AIIMS Bhopal when the first post-mortem examination was carried out.

During a press conference on Monday, Giribala Singh said she had visited the mortuary where members of Twisha's family allegedly confronted her.

In a statement issued the same day, Twisha's family questioned why there was “hesitation or silence” over an independent second medical examination by AIIMS Delhi if the accused believed in complete transparency.

The family said it was seeking “truth, scientific clarity and an investigation free from doubt”, adding that an independent review would strengthen public confidence in the investigation and help dispel concerns surrounding the case.

A SIT (Special Investigation Team) is currently probing allegations of dowry harassment, physical assault and destruction of evidence in connection with the death.