A woman from Udupi district’s Kundapur taluk in Karnataka has filed a complaint against her husband under the triple talaq law, the first recorded case in the district.
27-year-old Alfiya Akhtar and 30-year-old Hanif Sayyad were married earlier this year on July 4. According to reports, Hanif and his family wanted dowry amounting to Rs 5 lakh. Alfiya’s parents had given Hanif and his family Rs 2 lakh at the time of the wedding, but after she went to his house in Hiriyadka village following the wedding, he demanded more money.
He also reportedly assaulted her and hurled abuses at her. As per her complaint to the police, Alfiya also stated that she was mentally and physically tortured by her in-laws who demanded that she give them more dowry, after the consummation of the marriage.
On August 15, around noon, he reportedly shouted ‘talaq’ at her three times and then left her at her parents house two days later. Hanif also allegedly threatened to kill her if she returned, according to Alfiya’s complaint.
Alfiya recorded the incident on her mobile phone, which she produced in front of the police.
A case has been filed under the Dowry Prohibition Act, Section 4 of Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019. This bill defines talaq as talaq-e-biddat or any other similar form of talaq as the practice under Muslim personal laws where pronouncement of the word "talaq" thrice in one sitting by a Muslim man to his wife results in an instant and irrevocable divorce, and it makes the declaration of such talaq a cognisable offence.
Based on Alfiya’s complaint, police have arrested Hanif and produced him before the court. The court remanded him to judicial custody for 15 days.