A 27-year-old woman, who got married in April, died by suicide in Tirupur district of Tamil Nadu on Saturday, allegedly after continued harassment over dowry, police officers aware of the matter said on Monday, adding that her 28-year-old husband and his father have been arrested in this connection.
“We have arrested the husband and his father on Sunday on charges of abetment to suicide. Today, the accused have been remanded in 14-day judicial custody,” a senior police officer investigating the case said on condition of anonymity.
According to the woman’s family members, they had already given several items worth crores as dowry, including a ₹70-lakh Volvo car and 300 sovereigns of gold. Her father accused the husband and his parents of demanding more dowry, including 200 sovereigns of gold, they added.
Before taking the extreme step, the woman allegedly sent several audio notes to her father on WhatsApp, which went viral on social media on Monday, accusing her husband and the in-laws of harassing her mentally and physically. She also purportedly apologised to her parents for ending her life.
“Based on the complaint of the woman’s father, we will question the two accused. A complaint has not been registered against the husband’s mother,” said the officer.
{{/usCountry}}“Based on the complaint of the woman’s father, we will question the two accused. A complaint has not been registered against the husband’s mother,” said the officer.
{{/usCountry}}The revenue divisional officer (RDO) in Tirupur is preparing a report on the items that were given as dowry and the further demands that were made. “We are yet to make a final report based on the family’s statements and will submit it to the investigating police officers,” the RDO said, requesting anonymity.
The woman went to her parents’ home on June 23, the police officer quoted above said. “On Sunday, she told her family members that she was going to a temple and left home. On her way, she died by suicide on Saturday. She was found dead inside her car,” the officer said.
In the audio notes to her father, she is purportedly heard saying, “I am sorry, pa (father). I will consider this my fate and end my life now.”
“Every time, I thought that things would change, but this time, I’ve realised that my life will never change… They tortured me every day and everyone is asking me to adjust. But, they torture me mentally and physically, he (husband) tortures me. They have hurt me a lot and shamed me. I’ve not done anything wrong. I don’t have the strength to continue living. I’ve become a coward,” she is purportedly heard saying in the voice notes.
On Monday, the woman’s father said that she returned home within 10 days after the wedding. “We advised her to adjust, thinking that she was having issues adjusting to a new family,” her father said.
“She told us that her husband and in-laws behaved differently with her in public, and their behaviour changed when they were alone. She told us that they didn’t allow her to leave the house citing safety issues. They didn’t let her light a lamp in the pooja room. They controlled her and demanded jewellery and 200 sovereigns of gold. When I heard that her husband was jobless, I told her to stay with us and not go back. Nobody should go through what my daughter has faced.”