In a heartbreaking incident, a 28-year-old medical student was found dead in her apartment in the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Health Minister, Veena George, has taken immediate action, ordering the director of the Women and Child Welfare Department to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the young doctor's suicide.
Allegations of dowry pressure surface
The victim's family has claimed that the medical student was grappling with depression, attributing it to the excessive dowry demands made by the relatives of a prospective groom. According to reports, the deceased, a postgraduate student of surgery at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, injected herself with a fatal dose of anaesthesia drugs, leading to her untimely demise.
Minister seeks swift report on tragedy
Minister Veena George has instructed the investigating team to expedite the inquiry and submit a comprehensive report detailing the factors that may have contributed to the tragedy. The move comes as the police register a case of unnatural death at the Medical College police station and commence an in-depth probe.
A poignant suicide note discovered at the scene reveals the victim's anguish over financial pressures. "Everyone wants money, and money triumphs everything," she reportedly wrote. The note sheds light on the alleged demands for dowry, triggering speculations of a broken engagement due to the family's inability to meet exorbitant demands, a violation of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.
Legal Ramifications and Women's Commission Response
P. Sathidevi, chairperson of the state women's commission, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. She highlighted potential legal consequences, stating, "We certainly find that a case can be booked for abetment to suicide as well as relevant sections under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961." The commission suspects that the young doctor's death may be linked to the heartbreak of a called-off marriage due to dowry disagreements.
