The suicide note recovered from the apartment clearly mentioned the name of Dr Ruwaise and his role that led her to take the extreme step.
Dr Ruwaise EA and Dr AJ Shahana.
Dr Ruwise EA, a government postgraduate doctor, who was arrested in Thiruvananthapuram for allegedly abetting the suicide of a woman colleague, had demanded a huge dowry from her, according to the remand report the police filed before a court.
The depression caused due to continuous mental harassment and pressure exerted by him for the exorbitant dowry, which her family was unable to provide, had prompted Dr AJ Shahana to end her life in an apartment in the Kerala capital on Tuesday, police said.
The Medical College police, investigating the incident of the suicide of the young woman doctor, included the shocking details in their remand report submitted at a court in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, 7 December. evening.
The suicide note recovered from the apartment, purportedly written by Dr Shahna, clearly mentioned the name of Dr Ruwaise, the accused and his role that had led her to take the extreme step, as per the report.
According to reports, he demanded a dowry of 150 sovereigns of gold, 15 acres, and a BMW car. Dr Sahana’s family was willing to give 50 sovereigns and ₹50 lakh.
The 27-year-old medico, a student in the surgery department of the Government Medical College here, was found unconscious in her apartment and later declared brought dead at the hospital.
Reports said that Dr Ruwise backed off from the marriage after his fiancée’s family refused his demand.
Based on the remarks in the suicide note and the statements by the victim’s mother and elder brother, the police arrested Dr Ruwais for allegedly abetting Dr Shahana’s suicide after backing out of the planned marriage due to dowry.
According to the remand report, the young medico wrote in the suicide note that “It is true that my family cannot provide one-and-a-half kilograms of gold and acres of land if they ask for the same.”
Dr Shahana also wrote that he intended to ruin her life by promising to marry her, and she was ending her life due to their desire for a dowry, the police said.
Besides the sections of abetment of suicide, investigators slapped the Dowry Prohibition Act against the accused medico.
Describing him as a “proponent of dowry”, which is a social menace, the police, in the remand report, also alleged that the accused was responsible for the death of the young doctor who was hopeful of the future.
The local court had remanded the accused in judicial custody for 14 days.
Earlier, Dr Shahana’s brother Dr Jasim Nas had told the media that Dr Ruwais and his family — especially his father — were adamant about a huge dowry.
Though he had assured them that he was ready to give them as much money as he could, they were not ready for a compromise and backed out from the marriage which had devastated his sister, Nas said.
“Ruwais finally told her that money was more important to him, which shocked Shahana,” he said.
People from various walks of life, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly VD Satheesan, expressed shock over the suicide of the woman doctor and strongly condemned the practice of giving and accepting a dowry.
Reacting on the matter, Vijayan said that young women should be encouraged to reject proposals where dowry demands are made and that public opinion has to change concerning the practice.
“If someone demands dowry, they (women) should be able to strongly reject such proposals. Society and families need to support them for that,” he said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the government ordered a probe into the death of Dr Shahana after allegations of dowry-related issues causing the suicide cropped up.
The state Health Department, meanwhile, suspended Dr Ruwise from the medical college.
The police said he had deleted all WhatsApp messages, and efforts were on to retrieve them. Dr Ruwise has been charged with abetment to suicide under the relevant sections of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
According to official sources, Dr Ruwise was a resident trainee physician and the state president of the Kerala Medical Post-Graduate Association. The association ousted him soon after the incident.
The woman’s father, Abdul Azeez, was employed in the Middle East. He died two years ago. Dr Shahana’s friends said she was a gifted student.
The state Minority Commission also intervened in the issue and initiated a case on its own based on media reports. Its Chairperson AA Rasheed directed the district collector, city police commissioner and director of medical education to appear before the Commission during its next sitting in Thiruvananthapuram on 14 December and submit a report.
State Women’s Commission Chairperson P Sathidevi visited Shahana’s residence in nearby Venjaramoodu and consoled her mother on Wednesday.
Expressing grief and concern over the alleged suicide of the young doctor, Sathidevi said stringent measures should be taken if the mental agony caused by the dowry demand had forced her to take the extreme step.
In response to a message from South First earlier, Health Minister Veena George said the government would discuss an anti-dowry action plan. She also requested a report on similar cases brought to the attention of the Department of Women and Child Development.
The police records said Kerala has reported eight dowry deaths since 1 January this year.
(With PTI inputs)
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