‘50 sovereigns, car’: Kollam newly-wed alleges dowry assault by husband in Saudi Arabia

Kollam: A newly-wed woman from Neendakara in Kollam has accused her husband of brutally assaulting her over dowry, both in Kerala and in Saudi Arabia. Chavara police have registered a case against the husband and his parents based on her complaint.

The woman alleged that the harassment began within a week of her marriage in July. According to her, her husband's family started taunting her for not bringing dowry equivalent to what was allegedly given to his sister, including 50 sovereigns of gold and a car.

She said the harassment later turned physical. After her husband returned to Saudi Arabia for work, he took her there as well, where she allegedly faced further brutal assaults.
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According to the complaint, the woman was beaten with a laptop charger, belt, pressure cooker and other household items. She also alleged that her husband kicked her and frequently checked her phone, objecting to her speaking to others.

The woman said she eventually managed to escape from the situation and return to Kerala. She has submitted visuals showing her injuries along with the complaint.

“It was an arranged marriage. There were no problems initially. Later, they started saying that his sister had been given 50 sovereigns of gold and a car as dowry. I was harassed because I had not brought that much,” she said.

The woman’s mother said that her daughter survived only by sheer luck.
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Chavara police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Dowry Prohibition Act. The husband, Nandu, and his parents, Dinesh and Jagadamma, have been named as accused.

The woman is currently undergoing treatment at Kollam District Hospital. Police have launched a detailed investigation into the allegations.