Thiruvananthapuram: Shahana, a 26-year-old doctor in Kerala, committed suicide after her boyfriend allegedly demanded dowry and her family couldn't fulfill the demands. In a suicide note, purportedly written by Dr Shahana, she alleged that her boyfriend Dr EA Ruwais's dowry demands abetted her to end her life.
"It is true that my family cannot provide one and a half kg of gold, acres of land if they ask for the same," Dr Shahana wrote in the purported note. The police recovered the suicide note from the apartment where she was found dead and arrested the accused.
Dr Shahana's family alleged that the accused's family demanded 150 gold sovereigns, 15 acres of land and a BMW car in dowry. When Dr Shahana's family said they could not meet the demand, her boyfriend's family called off the wedding.
The police, quoting the victim from the recovered suicide note, said she ended her life as the accused's intention was to ruin her life by promising to marry her. In her suicide note, Shahana said that everyone seemed focused on money.
Jasim Nas, Shahana's brother, said that, "In November, my mother and I visited their home and met his family. His father was adamant on dowry. I told them that we would give as much as we could, but they were not ready to negotiate." Shahana has two siblings, her father died two years ago.
Ruwais and Shahana were in a relationship, "but he did not stand by her", Jasim said. "We were open to the idea of a register marriage, but Ruwais wanted the dowry demanded by his parents. He backed out," he said, adding that these developments broke her sister emotionally.