KOZHIKODE: Adding substance to family members’ allegations of domestic violence leading to the death of Orkkatteri resident Shebina, 30, who was found hanging in her husband’s house on Monday, CCTV footage that surfaced on Friday shows Shebina facing abuse by her in-laws.
In their complaint to the police, Shebina’s family members had mentioned that her in-laws took 120 sovereigns of gold ornaments from them and demanded more money. The allegations and the new evidence reveal that Shebina is another victim of domestic violence in the name of dowry and money.
Meanwhile, the revelations of Shebina’s daughter about the delay in providing treatment after she was found hanging intensifies the severity of the case. Having registered a case for unnatural death, the police have launched an investigation.
Belonging to Aroor in Purameri panchayat, Shebina was married to Hameed Thandarkandi, a resident of Kunnummakkara, Orkkatteri, in Eramala panchayat, in 2010. The couple has an 11-year-old daughter. Hameed has been working abroad in a private firm. Shebina hanged herself on the night of December 4 during an argument with her in-laws.
Shebina’s mother, Mariam, said: “Hameed’s mother and sister used to abuse Shebina. She has faced mental torture and abusive behaviour from other family members too. Her husband’s relatives subjected her to constant mental torture, demanding money to build a house. Shebina died by suicide because she couldn’t bear the constant harassment from her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. She was married off with 120 sovereigns of gold ornaments, but now the ornaments are missing.”
The police have sent the CCTV footage collected from Hameed’s house for scientific examination. In the footage recorded on April 12, Shebina is seen being harassed by her in-laws. Moreover, the statement of her daughter against Hameed’s family is a major blow to the accused. The girl told the police that no effort was made to save Shebina’s life when she was found hanging on Monday night. When Shebina closed the room’s door nobody tried to stop her despite the circumstances pointing to the possibility of a suicide attempt.
The daughter said that though she cried and asked for her mother to be taken to the hospital, no one listened to her. Even when she asked Hameed’s family to open the door to save her mother, no one cared, the daughter said.The police said they will seek an expert opinion from the cyber cell on the CCTV footage, while the postmortem examination result is awaited.
Shocking revelation
Shebina’s 11-year-old daughter told the police that no effort was made to save Shebina’s life when she was found hanging on Monday night. The girl said though she cried and asked for her mother to be taken to the hospital, no one listened to her