Muslim family attacked, teen commits suicide over home bought from neighbour in Gujarat
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A Muslim family in Ahmedabad was allegedly attacked over the purchase of a house from a neighbour whose internal dispute not only delayed the transfer of the property but also preceded the suicide of a young girl from the buyers’ household, while the accused reportedly threatened them with legal action under the Disturbed Areas Act, The Indian Express has reported.
The family, residents of Gomtipur for 16 years, had bought the house from a neighbour in October 2024 for ₹15.50 lakh. However, the seller’s husband died in December 2024, and the handover was postponed for the customary mourning period.
After the keys were given to the buyers in January this year, the seller moved to live with her elder son, but the first floor remained occupied by her other son, who refused to vacate the premises, claiming a dispute with his mother.
According to the family’s account, the harassment began soon after the keys were handed over. Matters escalated on 7 August when around 10 people allegedly assaulted the buyers’ mother, daughter, and son at the ground floor of the newly purchased house.
The daughter, Saniya Ansari, was reportedly dragged by her hair, beaten and kicked, leaving her covered in bruises. Four of the accused were later booked in a separate FIR related to the assault, though the family claimed they had yet to receive a copy.
Two days after the incident, Saniya, the youngest sibling, died by suicide, leaving behind a note naming four individuals she held responsible for her death. The note alleged that these people had taken the family’s money but had not given possession of the property, subjecting them to months of suffering, and that no action had been taken against them. The family also claimed that they had been warned of legal repercussions under the Disturbed Areas Act for purchasing the house.
The Gomtipur police initially registered an accidental death report and sent the body for a post-mortem. The family alleged that despite providing CCTV footage of the assault and the suicide note, an FIR was not filed until Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik intervened.
Early on Thursday, six people, including the seller and her son, were booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for abetment of the suicide of a child and liability of an abettor.
The Disturbed Areas Act in Gujarat restricts property transactions between communities in notified areas without the collector’s clearance, requiring certification that the sale is by mutual consent and free from coercion.
