A 23-year-old Kerala woman, Sona Eldhose, died by suicide after allegedly being pressured by her partner, Rameez Mohammad, to convert to Islam before marriage. Police have detained Rameez, citing assault, threats, and evidence from her suicide note.
Kochi: The death of a 23-year-old woman in Kerala has sparked outrage after allegations emerged that she was pressured by her romantic partner, Rameez Mohammad, to convert to Islam before marriage, a demand her family claims drove her to suicide. The victim, identified as Sona Eldhose, left a note which accused her partner Rameez Mohammad of physically assaulting her and pressuring her to convert to Islam in order to marry him. Kothamangalam police on Monday, August 11, detained Rameez in connection with the case. The note alleged that the assault took place in the presence of Rameez’s parents at his home in Panayikulam, Paravur.
Sona’s brother, Basil, has said he will give a detailed statement to the investigation team, alleging that his sister faced prolonged physical and mental torture and claiming that Rameez and his family were intent on converting her. He also voiced suspicions that more of Rameez’s relatives could be involved.
According to police, Sona and Rameez had been in a relationship since their college days at Aluva UC College. While her family had agreed to the marriage, Rameez’s family allegedly insisted from the outset that she must convert to Islam first. Friends have revealed that Sona had confronted Rameez after learning he was in another relationship, and that he had previously made preparations for a registered marriage before backing out at the last minute.
Investigators say that on the pretext of a registered marriage, Rameez brought Sona to his home last Sunday, where he locked her in a room, beat her, and once again demanded that she convert. Phone records show that he continued to threaten her in the days leading up to her death. On Saturday evening, Sona died by suicide at her home in Karukadam, Kothamangalam. In her note, she wrote that she could “no longer remain a liability at home” and that she was “going to her father,” who had died three months earlier. Police have seized chat logs and call recordings as part of their investigation.
(Suicide is not a solution to any problem. If crises make you feel that way, you can call these numbers for counseling support: 1056, 0471- 2552056)