It is so so shocking to read about the loss of innocent and bright lives due to dowry in today’s times.
Last week we told you that a Chartered Accountant Tamil Nadu girl was ruthlessly murdered by her own father-in-law and his two friends. Reason– their latest dowry demand of allegedly Rs 10 lakh was delayed as the girl’s family was trying to arrange for the money.
Today, we give you another horrible news of 20-year-old Salsha who committed suicide just three months after her marriage, despite her family giving around 50 lakhs of dowry to her in-laws.
Salsha gave up her education to get married
20-year-old Salsha decked up in gold jewellery during her wedding.
Yes, you read that right. Salsha stopped her graduation mid-way all because her parents had found that one “suitable boy” for her who would take care of her for life.
Little did they know that their dreams would be shattered soon and their little girl would go to a place from where she’s never going to come back.
Daughter of gulf-based businessman Shanawas and his wife Saleena, Salsha was found hanging in her husband’s house in Venjaranmoodu in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, after only 79 days of her marriage on July 11.
Salsha was hounded and harassed so much in the last three months by her husband’s (Roshan) family that one day when she couldn’t take it anymore she decided to take the extreme step of ending her life, say the police authorities.
The Additional Superintendent of Police Adithya of the district has confirmed that the death was indeed caused by hanging. He added that Salsha’s family had already given 1 KG gold (that costs Rs 30 lakh), an expensive car (Innova Crysta which costs Rs 15-20 Lakhs) and a massive piece of land to the groom and his family. The groom’s family have been booked under Section 304 (b) (dowry death).
“It was her brother who first complained about it being an alleged case of dowry death. He gave the police a statement. There were no signs of physical abuse. Her parents have alleged that Roshan and his mother made repeated demands for more dowry,” ASP Adithya told The News Minute, adding that the wedding became the talk of the town as it was a lavish affair with gifts and luxuries showered on the groom and the baaraat.
Roshan, who also owns a business in the Gulf, went underground after his wife committed suicide, but has finally surrendered to the police after the Kerela High Court anticipatory bail plea was rejected.
Raising confident daughters
While it is true that stricter laws should be in place to keep dowry deaths and even the acceptance of money and gifts during weddings, whats surprising is that parents still consider marriage to be the ultimate goal of their daughter’s life.
What’s more surprising is that Salsha was in the gulf and she could have managed to have a brighter future for herself if she was encouraged to study and focus on her career.
Gone are the days when women were trained to become better housekeepers and doting wives. Today, women should be taught to be better working professionals than men. They should know that fending for the bread and butter is not only the male’s prerogative and that girls are equally responsible for contributing to a family’s earnings.
Girls today have to be taught that they have a life beyond the kitchen and the family. Morevover, parents should prepare their girls to face the big bad world on their own and to be able to make decisions and choices as confident young women. Unfortunately, Salsha was not in a position to do that.
Read: Why I am moulding my daughter to have a solid career before she “settles down”
[Images courtesy: YouTube; News courtesy: The News Minute]
