“True That My Family…”: Kerala Doctor Names Boyfriend In Suicide Note

Shahana, a 26-year-old doctor in Kerala, died by suicide after her boyfriend allegedly demanded dowry and her family couldn’t fulfill her demands. In a suicide note, purportedly written by Dr Shahana, she alleged that her boyfriend Dr EA Ruwais’s dowry demands abetted her to die by suicide.

“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, PTI reported.

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 died by suicide 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, according to Matrubhumi

Jasim Nas, Shahana’s brother, told Matrubhumi 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 registry marriage, but Ruwais wanted the dowry demanded by his parents. He backed out,” he said, adding that these developments broke her sister emotionally.

“She decided to marry him because she thought he was a good man,” he told the media.

The police have registered a case of abetment of suicide and have filed charges under the Dowry Prohibition Act and described him as a “proponent of dowry” in its remand report submitted in the court today. The accused has been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.

Ruwais was a popular student leader on the college campus and was on the state committee of the Kerala Medical Post Graduates Association.

State health minister Veena George ordered an investigation into the matter.