In an alleged incident of dowry-related harassment, an 18-year-old woman was doused with kerosene and set on fire by her husband just two months after their wedding. The woman is currently being treated in the government hospital in Puducherry with 80% burns on her body.
According to reports, Rajeswari from Nainarpalayam and Jeeva, 21, from Vanur have been in a relationship for three years. The couple got married on June 3, against the wishes of Rajeswari’s parents and were living in Vanur. As their wedding happened without Rajeswari’s parents’ support, there was no dowry or gifts from the bride's family. This had irked Jeeva, who constantly picked fights with Rajeswari, demanding that she ask for dowry from her parents. Due to this, there were regular fights between the couple after the wedding.
On August 3, Jeeva had allegedly started a fight with Rajeswari at night. The fight escalated and an angry Jeeva doused Rajeswari in kerosene and set her ablaze. He allegedly threatened her that he would kill her father and brother if she revealed the truth, and told her family that she had attempted suicide.
Rajeswari was rushed to the government hospital in Puducherry with around 80% burns on her body. Currently under treatment, she narrated her ordeal to the police. In a video that’s being shared wisdelt, she said that her husband had set her ablaze and that he was harassing her for dowry. "He poured on me and set me on fire,” she says in the video. She adds that it was her husband Jeeva who did it and said, “He told me not to tell anyone, that is why I didn’t tell anybody.”
Based on her statement, the Vanur police registered an FIR and arrested Jeeva. He was remanded to judicial custody.
In July, another woman, aged 26 from Cuddalore district, died by suicide alleging her in-laws and husband were harassing and abusing her for dowry. She and her husband, an Information Technology professional, got married in 2018 and the couple had a son.