In a horrific incident of dowry death, a young newlywed bride aged 27 died by suicide in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruppur city, allegedly after enduring weeks of harassment over dowry demands by her husband and in-laws.
The woman, identified as Ridhanya, was found dead inside her car near Mondipalayam, sparking widespread outrage and calls for justice from her family and the local community, reported India Today.
Dowry of luxury car, 100 sovereigns of gold given
Ridhanya, daughter of a local garment businessman Annadurai, had married 28-year-old Kavin Kumar in April this year. Her family had reportedly given a dowry to her in-laws that included 100 sovereigns of gold and a luxury Volvo car valued at Rs 70 lakh.
According to police sources, on Sunday Ridhanya left home saying she was going to a temple. Hours later, locals alerted authorities after noticing her vehicle parked unattended for a prolonged period.
When police arrived, they discovered Ridhanya unresponsive inside the car. She was declared dead on the spot, with investigators suspecting she had consumed pesticide tablets.
Woman sent emotional message to family
Before taking her life, Ridhanya reportedly sent a series of emotional audio messages to her father via WhatsApp. In these recordings, she apologised to her parents and spoke about the mental and physical abuse she allegedly suffered in her marriage.
She accused her husband and his family of plotting the marriage for dowry and described feeling helpless and unsupported by those around her.
In one message, she expressed despair, saying she could no longer endure the “daily mental torture” and felt like a burden to her parents. She also claimed her husband had been physically abusive and that those she confided in dismissed her distress, urging her to “adjust.” The messages have since become crucial evidence in the case.
Husband and in-laws arrested
Ridhanya’s body was sent to the District Government Hospital for autopsy. Outside the hospital, grieving relatives gathered and demanded that strict action be taken against those responsible.
Following a preliminary investigation, police arrested Kavin Kumar along with his parents, Eswaramoorthy and Chithradevi.
