Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
A 21-year-old woman, Nargis A, from Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district, was allegedly pushed off a terrace in an attempt to murder her by her husband and in-laws over dowry.
Nargis, who suffered a spinal cord injury and fractures in both legs, was brought to the Vellore Collectorate on a stretcher on Monday, July 22, to file a petition demanding justice.
Speaking to the media, Nargis alleged that her husband, B Khaja Rafik (30), pushed her off the second-floor terrace of their residence in Saduperi on June 3, 2025, leaving her bedridden and in critical condition. She said her husband acted on the instructions of his father, Baba, a police Sub-Inspector in Tiruvannamalai, and his mother, Shakila.
Nargis was married to Rafik in 2023. Her father, Abdul Salam, a daily wage labourer from Melanelli village in Ranipet district, said the family had taken loans to meet dowry demands, which included 30 sovereigns of gold jewellery, Rs 10 lakh for wedding expenses, and a two-wheeler worth Rs 1.5 lakh.
According to Nargis, the harassment began immediately after the marriage, with continuous pressure for more dowry. The situation allegedly escalated when Rafik took her to a rented house in Saidapet and isolated her from her family.
“On June 3, he spoke kindly to me and took me to the terrace. Suddenly, he pushed me off. While I was admitted to the hospital, my father-in-law came to the ward and threatened me, saying he would inject poison and kill me,” she told the media.
Nargis’s family said they tried to file a police complaint at the Ariyoor police station, but no action was taken, allegedly due to Baba’s influence.
On Monday, when Nargis arrived at the Collector’s office in an ambulance, Revenue Divisional Officer Senthil visited her vehicle and recorded her statement. Collector VR Subbulaxmi assured the family that the case would be thoroughly investigated.