Kerala Oppn leader blames police for death of woman who filed dowry plaint

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], November 23 : Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly, VD Satheesan has accused the police of insulting a woman and her father after she lodged a complaint against her in-laws after which she allegedly died by suicide.
The incident took place on Tuesday when the woman, identified as Moufiya Parween, allegedly died by suicide after returning from Aluva police station in Kochi where she and her parents were called for compromise talks with her husband's family.
Satheesan said that such an incident should not have happened at any police station in Kerala.
"The police had treated the girl who approached the police with a complaint in the worst possible way. What is the responsibility of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to protect all the officials who are taking the wrong steps? Even the AISF (All India Students' Federation) women leader who was publicly humiliated at MG University was denied justice. Then who will get justice? There are widespread complaints against the police," he said while speaking to media here on Tuesday.
He alleged that due to bad treatment by police, women are even afraid to go to the police station to lodge complaints.
"What justice is being done? What license does the police have to treat women in an abusive manner? The Chief Minister should call a meeting of the police officials and give instructions on how to treat women," demanded the Opposition leader.
Meanwhile, the police have launched an investigation into the incident.
A 21-year-old married woman was found hanging in Aluva in Ernakulam district after filing a complaint with the police and National and State Women Commission accusing her husband and his family of harassment for dowry, the police said.
The body of Moufiya Parween, an LLB student, was found hanging in her room at her house on November 23. A suicide note was recovered from her room in which she alleged that a Circle Inspector neglected her complaint against her husband and in-laws and also behaved badly.
She was pursuing law from a private college in Thodupuzha at Idukki district.
K Karthick, Aluva Rural Superintendent of Police said that the post-mortem of the body has been completed and action will be taken as per the investigation report.
"A case has been registered in connection with the death. Steps are being taken to alter the sections in the case. The Aluva Deputy SP has been directed to investigate the case. A post-mortem has been completed. The investigation is ongoing. Action will be taken as per the investigation report of the Deputy SP. The girl had lodged a complaint with the National Commission for Women on October 10. We received the complaint on November 11. What is said in the suicide note is unfortunate. The Deputy SP has been asked to look into this. I will respond to the allegations after receiving the investigation report," Karthick said.