‘Gave 100 sovereigns of gold but they demanded 200 more’: Tirupur newlywed dies by suicide over dowry abuse; family seeks CB-CID probe

SALEM: The parents of a newlywed woman, who died by suicide near Tirupur allegedly over dowry harassment by her husband and her in-laws, met AIADMK general secretary and opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami in Salem on Tuesday seeking a CB-CID probe into her death.Rithanya, 27, killed herself by ingesting sulphas tablets on June 28. She posted an audio message on social media explaining the reason for her suicide. She alleged that she suffered physical and sexual abuse from her husband and in-laws who demanded more dowery. The Avinashi police arrested her husband, Kavin Kumar, 28, and his parents, Eswaramoorthy and Chitra, in connection with her death.After meeting Palaniswami, Rithanya's father R Annadurai told reporters that Kavin’s parents were supporters of the Congress party and trying to weaken the case with the assistance of the members of the ruling DMK. "They are trying influence the police," he alleged and demanded a CB-CID probe into the case.“We have urged Edappadi K Palaniswami to exert pressure on the state govt to ensure a thorough investigation into the case," he said. Annadurai said he had given 100 sovereigns of gold jewellery and a car worth at Rs 62 lakh as dowry during their wedding on April 11 this year. "But they continuously harassed my daughter and me, demanding an additional 200 sovereigns of jewellery and cash," he said. He alleged that Kavin Kumar had sexually assaulted his daughter, leading to her mental anguish. According to him, the mental distress ultimately compelled his daughter to die by suicide.