A tragic end to a love marriage in Villupuram, Tamil Nadu. A Dalit woman's death comes amid allegations of dowry and caste-based harassment.
Villupuram (Tamil Nadu): A shocking incident has emerged from Sornavur village in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district, where a 22-year-old Dalit Christian woman has died under suspicious circumstances. The deceased’s family has accused her husband and in-laws of harassing her for dowry and using caste-related abuses.
What is the whole matter?
The deceased has been identified as A. Devjessy Priya (22), who had a love marriage with her college friend, M. Vasanth Kumar (24), about three months ago. Vasanth Kumar belongs to the Hindu Vanniyar community. After marriage, the couple lived in Sornavur village near Valavanur in Villupuram district. Priya’s family says the marriage took place in the presence of the groom’s family, but Priya’s relatives were not even informed of it.
According to a complaint filed by Priya’s elder brother, A. Richard (26), Priya was subjected to constant mental and physical abuse since the wedding. According to the allegations, in addition to her husband Vasantha Kumar, her parents, Murugan and Lakshmi, and her elder brother, Bhaktavachalam, were also involved in this abuse.
The last phone call
The incident occurred on January 31st, when Priya called her aunt. She told her that she was being beaten and harassed for dowry. Ironically, just an hour after this call, her husband informed the family that Priya had died.
Richard has claimed that his sister did not commit suicide, but was murdered, and that an attempt is being made to pass it off as a suicide. He stated that injuries were found on Priya’s body, indicating assault.
Speaking to the media, Richard said, “We want the police to investigate this case with the sensitivity of caste discrimination and dowry harassment in mind. My sister was brutally tortured and then killed.”
Priya’s life has been full of struggles.
Priya originally hailed from Alagappa Samudram in Panruti taluk, Cuddalore district. After losing her parents in her childhood, she was raised by her elder brother, grandmother Josephina Mary, and aunts in Madampattu village near Thiruvennainallur in Villupuram district.
A bright student, Priya earned a B.Sc. degree in Microbiology from Periyar Government Arts College, Cuddalore, and was working at a private company in Sunguvarchatram, near Chennai. According to family sources, she had been in a relationship with Vasanth Kumar since her college days. Although Kumar later left college, their relationship continued and they married three months ago.
Police Action and Family Protest
Despite complaints of dowry harassment and caste abuse, the Valavanur police registered a case under Section 194 (3) of the Indian Penal Code (BNSS) and arrested husband Kumar on Tuesday.
However, the deceased’s family is not fully satisfied with the police action. They have refused to accept Priya’s body and are demanding that Kumar’s parents and other relatives also be immediately arrested. Currently, the body is being held at the Government Medical College Hospital in Mundiambakkam after the post-mortem, where the family is pleading for justice.
Rajan Chaudhary
Courtesy: Hindi News