Suicide of TVM doctor: Dr EA Ruwais booked for demanding dowry, abetment of suicide

Thiruvanathapuram: A case has been registered against Dr EA Ruwais for abetment of suicide and under dowry prohibition act. The young doctor is being held responsible for the suicide of  Shahna (28), an MBBS degree holder and a postgraduate student in the surgery department at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. Dr  Ruwais has been taken into police custody for interrogation.  

Earlier Shahna’s mother and sister had issued statements against Ruwais holding him responsible for the PG medico’s suicide.

Shahna, 28, an MBBS degree holder and a postgraduate student in the surgery department at Medical College here was found unconscious in her apartment at around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The police officials rushed her to the Medical College Hospital. However, she was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. 

According to reports, the woman took her own life due to the financial constraints her family faced, preventing them from fulfilling dowry demands.   The new development comes at this juncture.

Shahna had been engaged to her friend Ruwais, but the marriage hit a roadblock due to exorbitant dowry requests. The groom's family had demanded 150 sovereigns of gold, 15 acres of land, and a BMW car, which her family couldn't meet. 

In a suicide note, Shahna cited her inability to meet the dowry as the reason for taking such a drastic step. As the dowry demands led to the cancellation of the marriage, Shahna was deeply in grief, leading to the unfortunate incident. 

Shahna’s father passed away two years ago. She has two siblings. 

Kerala health minister Veena George on Wednesday ordered a probe into the dowry allegations related to the death of a young woman doctor in Thiruvananthapuram. Women & Child Development Department(WCD Kerala) director has been directed to furnish a report on the matter. 

(Attention: Suicide is not a solution to any problem. Those struggling with mental health issues should seek help from professionals. The 'Disha' helpline provides free counselling and support services. Dial toll-free helpline number: 1056 or 0471-2552056)