Patna, May 19 (IANS): A five-month pregnant woman was found dead in her house in Bihar's Arwal district on Friday under mysterious circumstances.

But the victim's father Ram Lakhan Paswan and brother Ravindra have blamed her in-laws, saying that they allegedly strangled her and then hung her from the ceiling fan.

"My sister, Tetari (30), married Santosh Paswan, a native of Sakri village, in 2011. She also has a 6-year-old daughter. My sister's husband and his father have been demanding dowry since the marriage. We have given them as per our financial capacity but they were still demanding for more," Ravindra Paswan said.

"They left Tetari at our house in Masadpur village some five months ago. But 15 days ago, they came again and requested us to send her back. But they strangled my sister on Thursday night and hanged her from the ceiling fan," Paswan said.

In a statement to the police, the victim's daughter Geeta Kumari claimed that her father and grandfather used to beat her.

"We have registered an FIR against the in-laws of Tetari Paswan. They are absconding now. We are making efforts to nab them," said an officer of the Sadar police station in Arwal.