Alathur death: Court remands husband in custody

Palakkad: A court in Alathur on Wednesday remanded a 29-year-old man arrested in connection with the death of his wife on charges of domestic cruelty. The accused, Abdul Rahman, a native of Erattakulam, was taken into custody following the death of his wife Asna (20), a Plus Two student. Police acted on a complaint lodged by her father, Haneefa of Kavassery. According to police, Asna was admitted to a private hospital in Alathur on March 27 after allegedly consuming rat poison. As her condition worsened, she was shifted to hospitals in Ernakulam and later Kozhikode, where she died on April 7. Haneefa, in his complaint, alleged that his daughter would not have taken poison on her own and accused her husband's family of administering it. Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim had been subjected to mental harassment at her husband's house, police said. Asna, the only daughter of Haneefa, had married Abdul Rahman a year ago while she was studying in Plus One and continued her education after marriage. Her family alleged that sustained harassment by her husband's family led to her death. They claimed she was frequently ridiculed over her studies and was made to complete household chores before being allowed to attend school. The arrest was carried out by a team led by Alathur deputy SP A J Johnson.