A 33-year-old MBA graduate and former beauty pageant contestant, Twisha Sharma, was found dead under suspicious circumstances at her matrimonial home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area, barely five months after her marriage.The case has sparked outrage across the country, with her family alleging dowry harassment, mental torture and possible foul play.Twisha, originally from Noida, had married Bhopal-based advocate Samarth Singh in December 2025 after the two reportedly met through a dating application in 2024.According to reports, she had an MBA degree and worked in marketing and communications before marriage. She had also participated in beauty pageants and was known as a former Miss Pune contestant. Apart from her corporate career, she had worked in Telugu and Hindi films and was also a certified yoga trainer.What happened?Twisha was found hanging at her in-laws’ residence on May 12. Police initially treated the case as suicide, but her family soon alleged sustained harassment by her husband and in-laws. Her husband Samarth Singh and mother-in-law Giribala Singh, a retired judge, have been booked under charges related to dowry harassment and abetment to suicide.Her husband is currently absconding, and Bhopal Police have announced a Rs 10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. His anticipatory bail plea has also been rejected by a Bhopal court.Disturbing chats, harassment allegations surfaceThe case gained further attention after Twisha’s alleged final chats and messages surfaced online. In messages reportedly sent to friends and family members, she allegedly described herself as “trapped” and appealed to be taken back home.Her family has alleged that she suffered continuous mental harassment after marriage and had lost nearly 15 kg in recent months. They also claimed she was planning to return to Noida permanently and had a ticket booked for May 15 — three days after her death.Twisha’s sister alleged that her husband pressured her to transfer financial assets and open joint accounts after marriage. Her father has also publicly accused the husband of substance abuse and demanded a fresh autopsy at AIIMS Delhi, claiming there may have been attempts to influence the investigation.Probe under scannerThe investigation has come under scrutiny after reports revealed that the belt allegedly used in the hanging was not produced before doctors during the post-mortem examination at AIIMS Bhopal. Due to the missing evidence, doctors reportedly could not match ligature marks on her neck with the alleged hanging material.Police later admitted there had been a lapse in procedure. Authorities are now examining CCTV footage from the residence and reconstructing events surrounding how Twisha was transported to hospital before police were informed.A Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising multiple officers has been constituted to probe the case.Claims and counterclaimsWhile Twisha’s family alleges dowry harassment, her in-laws have denied the accusations. Her mother-in-law has claimed that Twisha suffered from emotional issues and substance dependency, allegations that police say have not yet been substantiated with evidence.The family has also alleged that Twisha was forced into an abortion and subjected to emotional abuse during pregnancy. These claims are now part of the wider investigation.