Tiruppur: A tragic case of suspected dowry harassment has shaken Tamil Nadu after a 22-year-old woman died by suicide just 78 days after her marriage in Tiruppur district. Rithanya, daughter of prominent real estate businessman Annadurai from Kaikattipudur, was found dead in her car near Seyyur on Sunday, leading to the arrest of her husband Kavinkumar and his parents.
The victim’s family had organized a grand wedding in February, reportedly spending Rs 2.5 crore on the celebrations. As part of the marriage arrangements, they gifted the groom’s family a Rs 70 lakh Volvo car and 300 sovereigns of gold jewellery – though this was 200 sovereigns short of the promised 500 sovereigns. According to police investigations, the harassment began just 10 days into the marriage, with Rithanya’s in-laws persistently demanding the remaining jewellery.
Tiruppur Newlywed’s Suicide Sparks Outrage; Husband and In-Laws Arrested for Dowry Harassment
The situation came to a head on the day of the incident when Rithanya, after visiting the Lakshmi Narasimha Perumal Temple in Thalakkarai and meeting her parents, received a threatening phone call from her husband. Kavinkumar allegedly warned her against revealing their family matters and threatened to commit suicide if she spoke out. Distraught, Rithanya reportedly parked her car by the roadside near Seyyur and took her own life.
The case took a dramatic turn when an emotional audio message Rithanya had sent to her father surfaced, detailing the harassment she faced. This evidence prompted immediate police action, with Avinashi police arresting Kavinkumar, his father Eeswaramoorthy (a local Congress party leader), and mother Chitradevi under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 306 (abetment to suicide) and relevant sections of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with Rithanya’s relatives staging protests on the Avinashi-Sathy road, demanding justice. Tensions ran high outside Avinashi Government Hospital where the post-mortem was conducted, as grieving family members attempted to confront the accused.
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.
Tamil Nadu State health department’s suicide helpline: 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre – 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu)