Odisha: In-laws refuse dowry in old notes, newly-married woman commits suicide

BHUBANESWAR: A newly-married woman on Sunday evening committed suicide by hanging herself after allegedly being tortured by her in-laws as her father delayed to pay the promised Rs 1.70 lakh dowry because of the demonetisation problems,  reports said on Monday.

According to the reports, Prabhasini Mandal (20) daughter of Shiba Mandal of Rangipur Badasahi village under Golanthara police limits and Laxmi Nahak of the same village were in love for some years. The duo married on November 9, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation of '500 and '1,000 currency notes.

It was agreed that during the marriage negotiations that they bride’s family would pay Rs 1.70 lakh dowry. Accordingly, by November 7 Shiba Mandal had arranged the money from various sources, including his bank savings and loans from relatives. As the money Shiba arranged was in the denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 and was scrapped, the groom’s parents refused to accept them.

With no other options left, Shiba sought some time to exchange the scrapped notes but failed to do so. On Sunday evening, the victim’s family was informed that Prabhasini had committed suicide by tying a dhoti around her neck. Her parents rushed to their son-in-law’s house where the body was found lying on the ground.

The deceased’s family on Monday filed a complaint of dowry, torture and killing at Golanthara police station following the delay in paying promised money.

Inspector Alok Jena of Golanthara police station told this newspaper that the case was under investigation and action would be taken as per the findings of the investigation. “We have a registered an unnatural death case and started a probe into the case,” said Mr Jena.