Berhampur: A newly married eighteen-year-old's family has alleged that their daughter, Pravathi, was killed as they were not able to provide the dowry in new notes.
The incident happened at Badasahi in Rangipur village under Golanthara police limits in Ganjam district.
Pravati’s husband, Laxmi Nahaka and his family defended that she had committed suicide but her father, Siba Mandal has alleged that it was a dowry killing.
“We have registered a case of dowry death under sections 304B, 302, 341, 3/4 of Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. This death comes barely after 18 days of the marriage. We are investigating every aspect of the bride’s death,” informed Alok Jena, Inspector Incharge, Golanthara Police Station.
Pravati Mandal and Lakhmi Nahaka were in a relationship. After initial hiccups, the elders of the village held meeting in which it was decided that the girl would be married to the boy with a dowry amount of Rs. 1.70 lakhs.
The marriage was solemnised in the Taratarini temple, Purshottampur on November 9th, a day after Modi announced demonetisation of the Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes. As the dowry amount was paid in old currency notes, the groom’s family refused to accept and had asked them to exchange them within a stipulated time and give them the new notes, said Pravathi's family.
“The boy had himself asked for the girl’s hand. Now he and his family have killed our daughter just because we were unable to provide the new notes. I want them to be punished,” cried out Kuni Mandal, Pravati’s mother.
“Both the sides have agreed to the dowry fact. But the boy’s family says that they had given the girl’s family a time period of two months to change the notes. We cannot draw any conclusions without proper investigation,” added the police officer.
On the other hand, Pravati’s brother-in-law has a different tale to tell.
“We had asked them to exchange the old demonetised notes within 10 days and give it to us. The couple were in love and there was no quarrel or fight between them. All the male members had gone to the field. Only our sister-in-law was present in the house at that time,” informed Mitu, Pravati’s brother-in-law.
Her sister-in-law who was present said that she saw Prvathi's body hanging in her room, after which she called the neighbours who had brought the body down.
“The in-laws tortured the girl and killed her. The girl did not bow down or break down during the tribulations she faced during the talks of her marriage when the whole village was involved and talking about it. Now, there was no such reason which would lead her to take such a drastic step. It is not a suicide, but a murder,” according to Bishnupriya Nahak, Parvati’s aunt.
Till now, no arrests have been made in this case.
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