Indian-Origin Woman’s Death By Suicide Amid Custody Battle For Her Children With Australia

New Delhi: 

The tragic death by suicide last week of Priyadarshini Patil, a 40-year-old Indian-origin woman from Australia, and her family’s battle for custody of her two children has once again highlighted child custody cases in foreign countries involving Indian or Indian-origin parents. Ms Patil, found dead in Karnataka’s Belagavi on August 27, had been fighting for custody of her children for nearly three years. This was after New South Wales officials accused Ms Patil and her husband of “improper care” and separated the children – both Australian citizens.

Ms Patil returned to India earlier this month – to help her father deal with situation. A week later she died by suicide, leaving behind a suicide note blaming some neighbours and the New South Wales Department of Communities and Justice for ruining her family and her life.