HYDERABAD: A day after a techie, who was harassed for not being able to give birth to a child, ended her life, another woman committed suicide at Sanathnagar after alleged torture for giving birth to a girl child and for not being able to arrange for additional dowry.
M Suma, a 23-year-old mother of a ten-month-old child, was found hanging at her residence. Her family members alleged that her husband and in-laws killed her and made it look like a suicide.
Suma, who hails from East Godavari district, married Naga Satya Madan two years ago. At the time of marriage, her family gave gold and Rs 1.50 lakh as dowry to the man. After the marriage, the couple moved to the city and started living at Fateh Nagar along with her in-laws.
Though initially the couple of were happy, trouble started after a few months as her in-laws started harassing her over petty issues. As Madan was not earning enough money, the in-laws began demanding additional dowry.
However, things turned better after elders from the girl’s side intervened in the matter. Suma, meanwhile, delivered a girl child in February this year at her maternal home and came to the city along with the child in May. Since then her sufferings multiplied. Often Madan and his parents Anand Rao and Shyamala humiliated Suma saying that they were expecting a boy, but she gave birth to a girl child. They also threatened to abandon her if she gives birth to a girl child again. The harassment increased by each passing day and Madan too started assaulting her physically.
Recently their demand for additional dowry increased to `3 lakh. Suma informed her parents about the situation and they consoled her saying they will arrange the amount very soon. However, on Sunday night Madan called Suma’s brother Sai Sudhir over phone and informed that Suma has hanged herself and they have shifted her to a private hospital. After sometime, he informed that she was declared dead by the doctors.
Based on her parents’ complaint, a case of harassment under Dowry Prohibition Act was registered against Madan and his parents.