ERNAKULAM: On Tuesday morning, the dead body of a young doctor who had died by suicide was recovered from her apartment at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala when another doctor stopped their marriage at the nth moment because their family was not able to match their exorbitant dowry demands.
Dr Shahana, 26, was found dead when her colleagues were alerted about her prolonged absence. They found the medical post graduate student at the hostel.
A case was registered against EA Ruwaise, who is also the state president of the Kerala Medical Post Graduate Association, on Wednesday. Initially, a case had been registered for unnatural death.
FLASH : Tragic incident in #Trivandrum as a 26-year-old medical student, #Shahana, was found dead in her apartment on Tuesday morning. The young doctor reportedly took her own life after her friend backed out of a marriage proposal due the dowry.
Reports : @Viveknarayan805 pic.twitter.com/jiAeHwF9ox
โ The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) December 7, 2023
The police had recovered a suicide note from her residence which indicated that Ruwaise had demanded โexorbitant dowryโ and assets from her family. According to the note, the family of the stateโs MPGA chief had reportedly demanded a 15-acre plot of land, 150 sovereigns of gold and a BMW car. Shahanaโs familyโs neighbour and panchayat member, advocate S Sudheer, had illustrated that Ruwaise had visited their residence with a proposal for marriage, however, it was when the family visited the groomโs residence in Kollam that the marriage was annulled.
FLASH: DCP Nidhin Raj on the arrest of Dr Ruwaise in the Shahna suicide case: โThe accused was arrested few minutes ago. He is been charged under sections of Abetment to suicide and the dowry act. During the questioning we have found that he is guilty and more details needs to beโฆ pic.twitter.com/HolWftrMS3
โ The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) December 7, 2023
โThe marriage was fixed and she was very happy. Her family was willing to give Rs 50 lakh, 50 sovereigns of gold and a car. But Ruwise reportedly demanded 150 sovereigns of gold, 15 acres of land and a BMW car. Shahnaโs family could not meet such a demand as they did not have any income other than a house situated on 15 cents of land, which her mother might have planned to sell off for the daughterโs marriage,โ Sudheer said.
Veena George, the stateโs health minister, had sought a report from the director of the women and children development department.
On the other hand, Kerala Womenโs Commission Chairperson, P Sathidevi, following the medical studentโs death, stated that young women should show the courage to abandon a relationship or marriage proposal which demands dowry.