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Last Updated: December 07, 2023, 12:52 IST
Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum], India
Efforts are underway to arrest the two others accused in the case. (Representational image/News18)
Police on Thursday took into custody a doctor who had allegedly backed out of their marriage proposal recently as her family couldn’t meet the demand for a hefty dowry
Two days after a female medical student died allegedly of suicide in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala police on Thursday took into custody a doctor who had allegedly backed out of their marriage proposal recently as her family couldn’t meet the demand for hefty dowry.
The arrest came a day after Kerala Health Minister Veena George ordered a probe into the young woman’s death after allegations of dowry-related issues causing the suicide cropped up.
Shahana (26), a postgraduate student in the surgery department of the Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram, was found unconscious at her apartment and later declared brought dead at the hospital on Tuesday.
She allegedly took the extreme step as she was depressed due to a big dowry sought by the groom’s family, her family alleged.
Based on their statements, Ruwais, her friend who is also a postgraduate doctor in the College, was taken into custody from Karunagappally early today, police said.
“We have taken him into custody based on the statements of the victim’s family. He is being interrogated,” a senior officer told PTI.
He said a case of unnatural death was registered soon after the woman doctor’s death. Sections of abetment to suicide and Dowry Prohibition Act were added based on the statements of Dr Shahana’s family, he added.
“We have to check the veracity of various statements we have recorded. Further proceedings including his arrest will be decided only after that,” the officer said.
As per a report by Times of India, Shahana and Ruwise were set to marry, but before the wedding, the groom’s family demanded 150 sovereigns of gold, 15 acres of land and a BMW car as dowry.
Shahana’s family agreed to give 50 sovereigns of gold, property worth Rs 50 lakh and a car, however, the groom’s family did not agree to this and withdrew the proposal.
This had devastated Shahana and fell into a depression, her family said.
The state Minority Commission also intervened in the issue and initiated a case on its own based on media reports in this regard.
Its Chairperson A A Rasheed directed the district collector, city police commissioner and director of medical education to appear before the Commission during its next sitting here on December 14 and submit a report on the incident.
State Women’s Commission Chairperson P Sathidevi visited Shahana’s residence in nearby Venjaramoodu and consoled her mother on Wednesday.
The victim’s father, who was working in the Middle East, died recently.
Expressing grief and concern over the alleged suicide of the young doctor, Sathidevi said stringent measures should be taken if the mental agony caused due to dowry had forced her to take the extreme step.
People close to the deceased’s family had alleged that Shahana was depressed as her friend had backed out of their marriage citing dowry as the reason.
(With PTI inputs)
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