A man in Kerala's Malappuram was arrested for allegedly torturing his 25-year-old wife and abetting to her suicide. The woman was found dead at her home last week.
The deceased's family has alleged that the husband physically and mentally tortured their daughter, NDTV reported. A case of abetment to suicide and cruelty against women by their husbands or relatives has been registered by the police.
The couple tied the knot in an arranged marriage in May 2023. The husband, working as a male nurse, allegedly insulted his wife on a daily basis and would tell her that she was not beautiful. Her family alleged that he would humiliate her for not getting a job and also beat her up.
'He had affairs with other women'
The deceased's father told the media that the alleged accused used to tell his daughter that she was too thin and unattractive. He would not even let her ride on his bike.
“Right after the wedding, he told her to get a job and that she could not expect to live off his salary. She took a few exams, but she could not get a job. She tried very hard, but she couldn't,” her heartbroken father was quoted by NDTV.
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The victim reportedly did not tell her family about the harassment she was facing at home. They only came to know about all this from her friends now, after her death.
{{/usCountry}}The victim reportedly did not tell her family about the harassment she was facing at home. They only came to know about all this from her friends now, after her death.
{{/usCountry}}Her father further said that his daughter always supported him and the family, and never let them intervene in her marital issues. "She refused to reveal any details about what she was going through. When we wanted to help her, she insisted she would change him. I have only come to know now that he beat my child. We are hearing he had affairs with other women too," the father added.
He alleged that his daughter was murdered and accused the husband of doing so. The deceased's family also alleged that the husband's family supported his harassment of the woman.
'Slap marks on face'
OnManorama reported that the deceased's friends had earlier noticed slap marks on her face, sparking concerns of physical abuse.
A friend of the woman came forward with further serious allegations against the arrested husband. Other than brutally harassing the deceased, the accused also used to handle her phone, the friend revealed.
"He used to harass her constantly. He had tightened a rope around her neck. He used to torture her mentally and physically. When she realized that she couldn't tolerate it anymore, she started telling me everything," the friend was cited as saying by Kerala Kaumudi.
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He further added, "I had asked to return to her own house. She should have gone home. Her WhatsApp was connected to the husband's phone. She wasn't able to reveal anything through WhatsApp. We used to talk through Telegram without his knowledge. The husband used to send messages from her phone. He also used to force us to talk after putting the phone on speaker."
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. A few major suicide prevention helpline numbers in India are 011-23389090 from Sumaitri (Delhi-based) and 044-24640050 from Sneha Foundation (Chennai-based).