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(Trigger Warning: Mentions of suicide. If you feel suicidal or know someone in distress, please reach out to them with kindness and call these numbers of local emergency services, helplines, and mental health NGOs.)
A 26-year-old doctor at a government medical college in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram allegedly died by suicide on Monday, 4 December, allegedly over dowry demands by her fiancé's family.
What happened? According to The Indian Express, Dr Shahana, a resident trainee doctor, was found found dead at the post-graduate students hostel after she allegedly died by suicide Monday night.
The Thiruvananthapuram police registered a case against Shahana's fiance, Dr EA Ruwaise, who is also a post-graduate doctor in the same hospital, with abetment to suicide and violations under the Dowry Prohibition Act.
Ruwise, who is also the president of Kerala Medical Post Graduates Association (KMPGA), was taken into custody from his Kollam residence on Thursday, 7 December.
Reason behind death: The police reportedly recovered a suicide note from Shahana's room in which she had indicated that Ruwise had demanded dowry and assets from her family.
Speaking to the media, Shahana's brother Jasim said that Ruwais had first come up with the marriage proposal.
Ruwise's family allegedly demanded a significant dowry in the form of gold, land, and a BMW car.
"In November, my mother and I visited their home and met his family. His father was adamant on dowry... My sister thought he was a nice person and decided to live with him. I was always against the idea of sending my sister to a family that was longing for dowry."
Jasim said that he had assured Ruwaise’s family that he would pay them “as much money as he could”, but they were not ready to compromise.
Ruwais’s family allegedly demanded a significant dowry in the form of gold, land, and a BMW car. When Shahana’s family was unable to fulfil her demands, he called off the marriage.
This left the young doctor very upset, and she died by suicide, Jasim added.
"Shahana went into depression as Ruwaise backed out of the marriage citing dowry issues. He was the one who approached her with a marriage proposal," the victim's brother said.
What did the police say? “We have taken him into custody based on the statements of the victim’s family. He is being interrogated... We have to check the veracity of various statements we have recorded. Further proceedings including his arrest will be decided only after that,” a senior officer told news agency PTI.
Soon after the incident came to light, KMPGA issued a statement announcing the removal of Ruwaise from the position of president of the association.
Kerala govt orders probe: Two days after the incident, Kerala Health Minister Veena George ordered the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department to carry out a probe into the matter and submit a report regarding this.
Meanwhile, Kerala Women's Commission Chairperson P Sathidevi visited Shahana's residence on Wednesday.
Sathidevi demanded an investigation into the case, adding that the women's commission would seek a report on the action taken by police in the matter, IE reported.
According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Kerala has reported 11 dowry deaths in the year 2022.
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