Kamla Pasand owner’s daughter-in-law dies by suicide in Delhi, police recover diary mentioning marital dispute

A 40-year-old woman, Deepti Chaurasia, daughter-in-law of Kamal Kishore — owner of the Kamla Pasand and Rajshree Pan Masala brands — was found dead by suicide at her residence in Delhi’s Vasant Vihar on Tuesday. Police said they recovered a diary in which she stated she had been experiencing disputes with her husband, Harpreet Chaurasia, ANI reported.

Deepti married Harpreet, Kamal Kishore’s son, in 2010, and the couple have a 14-year-old son. According to News18, Deepti may have taken the step due to Harpreet’s alleged second marriage. Several reports have claimed that Harpreet recently married a South Indian film actress, though police have not confirmed the allegation.

Police stated that Deepti was found hanging with a scarf inside the house. A case has been registered at the Vasant Vihar police station and an investigation is under way.

Rishabh, Deepti Chaurasia’s brother, told the media that her husband had multiple affairs and that the family brought her home once they became aware of it, before her mother-in-law took her back. He stated that Deepti regularly informed him she was being tortured and that her husband continued his affairs. He added that he was unsure whether she had been killed or had died by suicide, saying he had spoken to her only a few days earlier and now sought justice. He also stated that her marriage since 2010 had been troubled and that Harpreet allegedly assaulted and abused her.

The Chaurasia family is a prominent name in the pan masala industry. Kamal Kishore and his father, Kamala Kant Chaurasia, built the Kamla Pasand brand, which today has operations across Kanpur, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. Kamala Kant began the business around four decades ago, selling loose pan masala from a small kiosk in Kanpur. The enterprise, now run under the KP Group and Kamala Kant Company, has since grown into a multibillion-rupee operation.