A 26-year-old doctor in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram has died by suicide on Tuesday as her boyfriend allegedly called off their wedding as the doctor's family failed to meet their dowry demands. As per media reports, the woman, identified as Shahana, was pursuing her post-graduation degree in the surgery department of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
It has been reported that Shahana was found dead at her rented apartment.
As per media reports, a case of unnatural death has been registered by the Medical College Police.
Moreover, the Women and Child Development department has been ordered by the Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Wednesday to launch probe into the matter.
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The dowry issue
Following her death, the angle of dowry surfaced when Shahana's relatives alleged that she died by suicide after her boyfriend refused to marry her as her family could not fulfil dowry demands.
As per media reports, the list of demands as dowry from the groom's family included gold, land and a BMW car.
When Shahana’s family was unable to fulfil the demands, her boyfriend - who was also a representative of the Medical PG Doctors Association, ended their relationship.
Shahana's father, who was working in the Middle East, died recently.
Response from the women's commission
Kerala Women's Commission Chairperson, Sathidevi, visited Shahana's mother at her house on Wednesday. Sathidevi demanded an investigation into the case, adding that the women's commission would seek a report on the action taken by police in the matter.
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Sathidevi said that if it is established that the accused doctor's family demanded a dowry from the victim, a case would be lodged against them under the Prevention of Dowry Act.
The state Minority Commission has also initiated a case on its own based on media reports on the matter.
In the wake of the charges against the accused doctor, the Medical PG Doctors Association relieved him of all his responsibilities within their organisation.
