Outrage in Kerala over two alleged dowry-related deaths

A 24-year-old woman was found dead in Kollam on Monday. Another woman allegedly died after she set herself afire on Tuesday in Thiruvananthapuram. In both cases, husbands of the women have been arrested

The deaths of two women in Kerala related to alleged dowry harassment in two days have provoked outrage and prompted calls for changes in the law to prevent such incidents. A 24-year-old woman was found dead in Kollam on Monday. Another woman allegedly died after she set herself afire on Tuesday in Thiruvananthapuram. In both cases, husbands of the women have been arrested.

Representational Image. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The 24-year-old woman’s parents said she was continuously harassed over the car gifted to her at her wedding. She purportedly sent to her parents’ photos of her injury marks and scars allegedly inflicted by her husband. The parents alleged she was being harassed with demands for a luxury car and was told that the one gifted to her was worth just ₹10 lakh. They added they also gifted their daughter over 100 sovereigns of gold and one-acre land.

“He (son-in-law) did not like the car I gifted and always used to argue with my daughter over this. When he came here last time, he sought ₹10 lakh which I refused. His torture aggravated after this,” said the Kollam woman’s father.

The parents of the Thiruvananthapuram woman, too, alleged she was being harassed for dowry. Her father said his daughter did not die by suicide but was set afire while she was sleeping. She too got married last year.

Police said they were waiting for post-mortem reports in both cases and their in-laws will also be interrogated.

State police chief Loknath Behra has constituted a special investigation team under inspector general Harshita Attaluri to probe the cases.

Activist Shimna Azeez said both cases are really painful. “Attitude towards women remains unchanged. Educated and empowered, they should have served their relations and led a life with them rather than embracing death like this,” she wrote on Facebook.

Kerala Women’s Commission member Shahida Kamal said both incidents are really heart-rending. “It is sad despite a good education and economic background many (demand)...dowry. We need stricter provisions to curb this,” she said.

State Congress chief K Sudhakaran said: “The two incidents are really shocking. We have to ensure such ugly incidents will not recur.”