Newlywed woman dies by suicide at husband's home in Kerala

Kasaragod, Sep 8 (IANS) A newlywed woman allegedly ended her life by hanging at her husband's home in northern Kerala's Kasaragod, prompting an investigation, the police said on Monday.

The deceased has been identified as K. Nandana (21), wife of Ranjesh, a resident of Aramanganam near Melparamba, who allegedly died by suicide just over four months after her marriage.

According to the police, the incident came to light on Sunday afternoon after Nandana sent a phone message to her mother, Seena, stating that she was going to end her life.

Alarmed by the message, her mother at once informed Nandana’s in-laws. When the family members of Ranjesh rushed towards her room, they found the door locked from the inside. They forced it open and found her hanging from the ceiling fan.

No arrest has been made in the case as the investigation into the incident is underway, said the police.

It is also not known why she took the extreme step.

Nandana, the only daughter of K. Ravi and Seena of Periya Ayampara, had been in a long relationship with Ranjesh before the families agreed to their union.

The marriage was solemnised on April 26 this year in the presence of relatives and well-wishers.

The Melparamba police have registered a case of unnatural death, and an inquest was conducted under the supervision of RDO Binu Joseph and Sub-Inspector K.N. Suresh Kumar.

The body has been shifted to Kasaragod General Hospital for post-mortem examination.

This incident is the latest in a troubling pattern of unnatural deaths of young women in Kerala after marriage, often amid allegations of domestic abuse and dowry harassment.

In July this year, a 23-year-old pregnant woman, Faseela, was found dead in her husband’s home in Thrissur after sending her mother WhatsApp messages alleging physical and mental abuse by her husband and mother-in-law.

Similarly, the deaths of 29-year-old Athulya Satheesh and 32-year-old Vipanchika Maniyan in the UAE, both Kollam natives, were also linked to alleged domestic violence and dowry-related issues.

In December last year, another newlywed woman, Induja (25), was found dead at her husband’s home in Palode near Thiruvananthapuram.

Her husband, Abhijith, the husband of newlywed Induja, was arrested after her family filed a complaint of physical and dowry harassment allegations against him and his parents.

-- IANS

snj/skp