In what is suspected to be yet another dowry-related atrocity, a 22-year-old pregnant woman was allegedly beaten up by her husband at Alangad near Aluva on Wednesday. Nehalath, 22, of Thuruth in Aluva has been admitted at a private hospital. She is four-and-a-half months pregnant. The Aluva West police have launched a probe though her husband Jouhar is yet to be traced.
“We are about to collect the statement of the woman and a case invoking relevant charges will be registered,” said police sources. The couple got married nine months ago. “We married off our daughter by giving ₹8 lakh and gold ornaments worth ₹2 lakh. But her husband kept on demanding more since the marriage though she didn’t tell us about it till recently,” said Salim, the woman’s father who also remains admitted in a hospital after being allegedly manhandled by his son-in-law and friends.
He said that he had gone to her daughter’s place on Wednesday after being told by her husband that he wanted to sell the house to clear his debts. He said that his son-in-law and mother left, leaving him and daughter at the house and returned after more than four hours.
“He said that agreement for selling the house has been signed but refused to show it. He then demanded that I leave with my daughter. When she declined to oblige, he beat her up. When I intervened I was also beaten by him and his friends. We have lodged a police complaint,” said Mr. Salim.
