Tragic Suicide of Kerala Doctor as Wedding Called Off by Groom's Family Over Demands for BMW, Gold, and 15 Acres of Land

Thiruvananthapuram: The Medical College Police have initiated a case of unnatural death following the tragic demise of a postgraduate medical student at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. Dr. Ruwise EA, former state president of the Medical PG Association, faces charges of abetment to suicide and violations of the Dowry Prohibition Act.

Health Minister Veena George has ordered a thorough investigation into the suicide in response to family allegations that dowry-related issues led to the extreme step. The director of the Women and Child Development department has been tasked with conducting the probe and submitting a detailed report.

The deceased, 26-year-old postgraduate doctor Shahana from the surgery department at Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, was found dead in her apartment on Tuesday. Shahana's marriage with Ruwise was initially agreed upon, but the situation took a turn when Ruwise's family demanded an exorbitant dowry of 150 sovereigns of gold, 15 acres of land, and a BMW car. Shahana's family initially agreed to offer 50 sovereigns of gold, property worth Rs 50 lakh, and a car. However, when Ruwise's family rejected this proposal, Shahana fell into depression, as revealed by her family.

Scheduled for night duty at the surgery ICU, Shahana did not respond to a colleague's call. When friends reached her flat, they found the door locked. Subsequently, the police were informed, and upon breaking open the door, they discovered Shahana unconscious. Rushed to the medical college hospital, she was declared brought dead. Shahana had taken her life by injecting a high dose of an anesthetic drug. A suicide note, recovered by the police, revealed her despair, stating, "Everybody wants money only."

Shahana, daughter of the late Abdul Aziz and Jameela of Naz Mansil, Maitri Nagar, Venjaramoodu, had been battling the distress caused by the dowry demands.

In a separate incident, Haryana police registers a case in Jind district after a delay of five and a half years. The family of the deceased provided a suicide note alleging harassment by individuals, including Shankar Dass, Neelam Rani, Girish Kumar, and Om Prakash. Though no FIR was initially registered, the police initiated a probe after matching the writing in the letter at an FSL lab in Karnal district. The accused now face charges under sections 306, 506, and 34.