22-yr-old Assam woman forced to consume acid by in-laws for dowry, dies

SILCHAR: A 22-year-old woman in Karimganj district of Assam died after she was allegedly forced to consume acid following mental and physical torture by her husband and in-laws for dowry. A senior official of Ratabari police station on Thursday said the father of Sumana Begam (22), the deceased woman, had filed an FIR in which he alleged that Sumana’s husband Shakeel Ahmed, her mother-in-law Alifa Bibi and brother-in-law Jakir Ahmed had been torturing her for the past few days.According to the FIR, Sumana went to her parents’ home on the occasion of Eid last Sunday. The next day, her husband brought her back home and the in-laws forced her to drink acid on Tuesday.The family members, later on, admitted her to Chargola Primary Hospital from where doctors referred her to Karimganj Civil Hospital. However, as her condition was critical, she was sent to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for better treatment. SP (Karimganj) Padmanabh Baruah said an investigation was launched following the incident and Shakeel was arrested. He is being interrogated under the custody of the police, he added. A case also has been registered.