A 27-year-old woman died by suicide in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, reportedly due to torture over dowry by her husband and in-laws. The deceased, Ridhanya, was the daughter of Annadurai, who runs a garment company.
She married 28-year-old Kavin Kumar in April this year. According to media reports, the marriage involved a dowry of 800 grams of gold jewellery and a Volvo car worth over S$ 100,000.
On her way home from the temple on Sunday, she reportedly stopped her car and consumed fumigant pesticide tablets. Locals alerted the police after noticing a car parked in the area for a suspiciously long time. Upon inspection, police found Ridhanya dead inside, foaming at her mouth.
According to sources, she had sent seven audio messages on WhatsApp to her father before her death, in which she apologised for her decision and spoke about being unable to bear the alleged abuse.
“I’m unable to bear their mental torture daily. I don’t know whom to tell about this. Those who listen want me to compromise claiming life will be like this only and are not able to understand my suffering,” she said in one of the messages. In another, she reportedly insinuated that the marriage was orchestrated by the family to benefit monetarily from dowry.
“I don’t want to be a burden to you all my life. This time I did not make any mistake. I don’t like this life. They are assaulting me mentally while he is torturing me physically,” she stated in a message, “I don’t like this life. I’m unable to continue my life.”
“You and mom are my world. Until my last breath you have been my hope, but I hurt you badly. You are unable to openly say this still you are not able to see me like this. I can understand your suffering. I’m sorry father everything is over. I’m leaving,” she said.
Ridhanya’s body was sent to the District Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Outside the hospital, grieving relatives gathered, demanding justice. Her father, Annadurai, accused the groom’s family of deceiving them by pretending to be respectable.
“They cheated us by saying they were a good family,” he said, as he recounted the repeated physical and mental abuse his daughter endured. “You would tear up if you hear what she said,” he told reporters, visibly distraught.
Annadurai shared that Ridhanya had returned to her parents’ home just 15 days after her wedding. However, he advised her to adjust to the new environment. But within 20 days of returning to her in-laws’ house, Ridhanya came back once more – this time even more broken, he said.
Police have registered a case and arrested her husband Kavin Kumar, father-in-law Eswamoorthy and mother-in-law Chitradevi.
The incident has sparked outrage on social media, with widespread condemnation of the violence Ridhanya faced. Users are calling for strict action and highlighting how, despite dowry being illegal in India, it remains a deeply rooted and dangerous practice that continues to destroy lives.
