Gujarat woman strangled by husband over 'character' suspicion in Sabarkantha; accused held
Synopsis
A migrant agricultural labourer from Rajasthan allegedly strangled his wife in Haripura village, Sabarkantha, after suspecting her fidelity — then fled with their daughter. Police tracked him via a tip-off and arrested him within hours. The case, registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, shines a harsh light on domestic violence within isolated migrant communities in rural Gujarat.
Key Takeaways
Soniben Pargi , 26 , was allegedly strangled by her husband Ramesh Pargi on the evening of 22 September 2026 in Haripura village, Sabarkantha, Gujarat .
The body was discovered on 23 September , covered with a blanket on a cot inside a farm room.
The accused allegedly fled with his daughter before being traced and arrested late Wednesday night near Himmatnagar .
A case was registered under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (murder).
The couple were migrant agricultural labourers originally from Kotada Chhavani taluka, Udaipur district, Rajasthan .
Police are checking for prior criminal records against the accused in both Gujarat and Rajasthan .
A 26-year-old woman was allegedly strangled to death by her husband after he suspected her fidelity, in Haripura village, Sabarkantha district, Gujarat, on the evening of 22 September 2026. The accused was apprehended by police within hours of the body being discovered, officials confirmed on Thursday, 24 September.
How the Incident Unfolded
The deceased has been identified as Soniben Pargi, a resident of Kotada Chhavani taluka in Udaipur district, Rajasthan, who had been living with her husband and children as an agricultural labourer at a farm belonging to one Haiderbhai in the Haripura area for the past three to four months. According to police, a domestic dispute between the couple escalated on the evening of 22 September, after which the husband allegedly attacked and killed her.
Her body was discovered on 23 September, found lying on a cot inside a room at the farm with a blanket covering it, under suspicious circumstances. Her husband was absent from the scene at the time of discovery.
What Authorities Said
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Idar Division) Smit Gohil confirmed the sequence of events. 'The incident took place mainly due to a domestic dispute between the husband and wife. Ramesh Pargi, who is the husband of the deceased, suspected his wife regarding her character and, due to this grudge, committed the act on the evening of the 22nd,' he said.
The deceased's brother, Mumanbhai Gamar, subsequently filed a formal complaint alleging that Ramesh had killed his sister following suspicions over her character.
Arrest and Pursuit
After committing the alleged act, the accused fled the location, reportedly taking his daughter with him. Police and the Local Crime Branch (LCB) swiftly formed teams to trace him. LCB personnel reportedly received a tip-off that Ramesh Pargi was travelling by rickshaw from Himmatnagar towards Desotar. Officers kept watch and subsequently intercepted and arrested him late on Wednesday night.
Legal Proceedings and Background
A case has been registered against the accused under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which pertains to murder. The accused is to be produced before a court, following which the investigating officer may seek his remand. The Jadar police station has been assigned responsibility for further investigation.
Police are also verifying whether any prior criminal cases have been registered against Ramesh Pargi at police stations in either Gujarat or Rajasthan. The accused is a resident of Mandwal Anara Faliya in Kotada Chhavani taluka of Udaipur district. The couple and their children had migrated to Gujarat as seasonal agricultural labourers. This case underscores a continuing pattern of domestic violence linked to suspicion-driven disputes in migrant labourer communities, where social isolation and lack of support structures can escalate tensions fatally.
Point of View
Economic precarity, and distance from family support networks — that rarely feature in the police narrative. The swift arrest is commendable, but the structural conditions that make such violence possible in transient labour settlements deserve equal scrutiny. That the accused's prior criminal record is still being checked at the time of reporting points to coordination gaps between state police databases that authorities have long promised to resolve.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was killed in the Sabarkantha domestic violence case?
The deceased has been identified as Soniben Pargi , a 26-year-old woman from Kotada Chhavani taluka in Udaipur district, Rajasthan. She had been living with her husband and children as an agricultural labourer at a farm in Haripura village, Sabarkantha, Gujarat.
Who is the accused and has he been arrested?
The accused is Ramesh Pargi , the husband of the deceased. He was arrested late on Wednesday night after police and the Local Crime Branch traced him near Himmatnagar, where he was reportedly travelling by rickshaw towards Desotar after allegedly fleeing with his daughter.
What charge has been filed against Ramesh Pargi?
Police have registered a case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 , which pertains to murder. The accused is to be produced before a court, after which the investigating officer may seek his remand.
What was the motive cited by police?
Deputy Superintendent of Police Smit Gohil stated that the incident arose from a domestic dispute in which the accused suspected his wife's character. Authorities have attributed the act to this suspicion-driven grudge, though motive will be examined further during investigation.
Which police station is handling the investigation?
The Jadar police station has been assigned responsibility for further investigation. Police are also verifying whether any prior criminal cases exist against the accused at stations in Gujarat or Rajasthan.
