Kerala Women’s Commission begins probe into suspected dowry killing by forced starvation


The Hindu

Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print


 The victim, a mother of two, weighed only 20 kg at the time of her death.

The Kerala Women’s Commission on Saturday began an inquiry into the suspected dowry killing of a 27-year-old mother of two, by enforced starvation, at her husband’s house at Oyur in Kollam district last week.

Commission chairperson M. C. Josephine told The Hindu that the crime, which caused a huge public outcry, highlighted the long-outlawed but still-prevalent practice of dowry.

Home appeared to be the most dangerous place for women in Kerala given the increasing number of domestic violence (DV) cases, Ms. Josephine said, adding that most of the accused were either spouses or close relatives of the victims.

Victim Thushara’s plight came to light when her husband, Chanthu Lal, brought her in a weakened state to the District Hospital, Kollam, at midnight on March 21.
She appeared small and skeletal, say doctors

Doctors later told the police that she appeared small and skeletal. They pronounced her dead and sent her body to the Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, for post-mortem examination.

S. Sreekumar, Sub Inspector, Puyapally, said the autopsy revealed a cruel story. Thushara died of starvation and pneumonia. The doctors counted several blunt forced injuries on her body. There were also scars of healed cuts on her hands.

Thushara, a native of Karunagapally, married Lal in 2013. Her relatives told the police that Thushara’s in-laws repeatedly demanded an additional ₹2 lakh as a “post marriage gift.” Her family was hard-pressed financially and could not meet the demand.

Mr. Sreekumar said Thushara’s family had lost touch with her since 2016. Lal had erected large metal sheets around his 5-cent plot and the neighbours never knew what transpired inside.
Superstitious belief in witchcraft

DySP, Kottarakkara, Dinil Raj, who is the investigating officer, said Thushara weighed only 20 kg at the time of her death. Her tormenters seemed to have put her on a diet of sugar and soaked uncooked rice. He said the family suffered from crushing poverty and seemed to be hampered by a superstitious belief in witchcraft.

The police have arrested Lal and his mother on the charge of murder.

Ms. Josephine said cases of gender violence were on an upward spiral and dowry was the main reason. Victims invariably report violence against them belatedly out of familial concerns. The cases reported so far were just the tip of the iceberg. She said the Commission would soon initiate a legal strategy and social programme to detect and prosecute gender violence.

Write your Comments on this Article
Your Name
Native Place / Place of Residence
Your E-mail
Your Comment   You have characters left.
Security Validation
Enter the characters in the image above
    
Disclaimer: Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Kemmannu.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.
Please note that under 66A of the IT Act, sending offensive or menacing messages through electronic communication service and sending false messages to cheat, mislead or deceive people or to cause annoyance to them is punishable. It is obligatory on kemmannu.com to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request. Hence, sending offensive comments using kemmannu.com will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Kemmannu.com be held responsible.
Similarly, Kemmannu.com reserves the right to edit / block / delete the messages without notice any content received from readers.




Mangalorean Teen Feryl Rodrigues Shines as May Que
View More

Final Journey of Mrs. Severine Pais (85 years) | LIVE from Milagres, Kallianpur, UdupiFinal Journey of Mrs. Severine Pais (85 years) | LIVE from Milagres, Kallianpur, Udupi
Final Journey of Mrs Lennie Saldanha (89 years) | LIVE from Kemmannu | UdupiFinal Journey of Mrs Lennie Saldanha (89 years) | LIVE from Kemmannu | Udupi
Final Journey of Zita Lewis (77 years) | LIVE from Kallianpur, UdupiFinal Journey of Zita Lewis (77 years) | LIVE from Kallianpur, Udupi
Final Journey of Henry Andrade (83 years) | LIVE from KemmannuFinal Journey of Henry Andrade (83 years) | LIVE from Kemmannu
Final Journey of Mr. Leo Britto (65 years) | LIVE from Mother of Sorrows Church, UdupiFinal Journey of Mr. Leo Britto (65 years) | LIVE from Mother of Sorrows Church, Udupi
Mount Rosary Church - Rozaricho Gaanch May 2025 IssueMount Rosary Church - Rozaricho Gaanch May 2025 Issue
Final Journey of Juliana Machado (93 years) | LIVE from Udyavara | UdupiFinal Journey of Juliana Machado (93 years) | LIVE from Udyavara | Udupi
Final Journey of Charles Pereira (78 years) | LIVE from KemmannuFinal Journey of Charles Pereira (78 years) | LIVE from Kemmannu
Milarchi Laram, Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur, Diocese of Udupi, Bulletin - April 2025Milarchi Laram, Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur, Diocese of Udupi, Bulletin - April 2025
Holy Saturday | St. Theresa Church, KemmannuHoly Saturday | St. Theresa Church, Kemmannu
Final Journey of Albert Lewis (85years) | LIVE From St Theresa’s Church Kemmannu | UdupiFinal Journey of Albert Lewis (85years) | LIVE From St Theresa’s Church Kemmannu | Udupi
Final Journey of Bernard G D’Souza | LIVE from MoodubelleFinal Journey of Bernard G D’Souza | LIVE from Moodubelle
Earth Angels Kemmannu Unite: Supporting Asha Fernandes on Women’s DayEarth Angels Kemmannu Unite: Supporting Asha Fernandes on Women’s Day
Final Journey of Joseph Peter Fernandes (64 years) | LIVE From Milagres, Kallianpur, UdupiFinal Journey of Joseph Peter Fernandes (64 years) | LIVE From Milagres, Kallianpur, Udupi
Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur, Udupi - Parish Bulletin - January 2025 IssueMilagres Cathedral, Kallianpur, Udupi - Parish Bulletin - January 2025 Issue
Rozaricho Gaanch 2024 December Issue - Mount Rosary Church, SanthekatteRozaricho Gaanch 2024 December Issue - Mount Rosary Church, Santhekatte
Land/Houses for Sale in Kaup, Manipal, Kallianpur, Santhekatte, Uppor, Nejar, Kemmannu, Malpe, Ambalpady.Land/Houses  for Sale in Kaup, Manipal, Kallianpur, Santhekatte, Uppor, Nejar, Kemmannu, Malpe, Ambalpady.
Naturya - Taste of Namma Udupi - Order NOWNaturya - Taste of Namma Udupi - Order NOW
Focus Studio, Near Hotel Kidiyoor, UdupiFocus Studio, Near Hotel Kidiyoor, Udupi