Days before Delhi cafe owner Puneet Khurana's suicide, wife shared social media post on 'toxicity, abuse'

The wife of Delhi cafe owner Puneet Khurana, who died by suicide on December 31, posted a cryptic message on social media just days before the tragedy. In her post, Manika Pahwa said that she was subjected to "toxicity and narcissistic abuse" and was now free, adding that feminism suits her.

Khurana, 40, the owner of popular Woodbox Cafe in Delhi, was found hanging in his house in Model Town on New year's Eve. The couple, co-owners of the cafe, were going through a divorce.

On Monday, a day before he died, Khurana had recorded a conversation with his wife in which both of them can be heard fighting over business-related issues.

In her social media post, Pahwa didn’t name anyone directly but shared her belief that kindness, love, and respect should be extended to everyone.

She also hinted at higher powers deciding what was best for those who had wronged her.

"Well feminism suits me, as idealistic values are my core & feminism means giving & getting mere respect. To one another. No slave treatment, and no stopping some girl to speak her mind (sic). Even a house help, guard, rikshawala, a tiny kid deserves respectful treatment. Once a coward fought with me that 'respect has to be earned'. Ufff! What disgrace na? I disagree, respect has to be given to each and everyone. If not then you lost the respect baby. Phew! Maybe that's why in India, we address people with 'aap', 'bhaiya', 'didi' to even strangers, isn't it?" she wrote.

She wished that "these abusers get to see the mirror someday" and understand the value of kindness, love, understanding, trust, wisdom, affection and care, adding that they are more important than money, property and gold.

'Was upset with wife'

According to Khurana's family, Puneet was “upset” with his wife.

The two got married in 2016.

It was also learnt that the couple was into a business tussle regarding their café.

On Wednesday, Khurana's sister told news agency ANI that Pahwa had instigated him. She claimed that Manika and her family members forced Puneet and "stressed him out".

She alleged that they also instigated him by saying: 'you can’t do anything, die by suicide if you dare.’

The case bears similarities to the recent suicide of Bengaluru-based techie Atul Subhash, who left behind a 24-page note accusing his wife and her family of harassment.

Subhash, 34, committed suicide in December after he claimed that his in-laws had been torturing him emotionally and legally.