In a deeply distressing incident from Tiruppur district, Tamil Nadu, a 27-year-old woman named Rithanya died by suicide after allegedly facing relentless dowry harassment and abuse from her husband and in-laws. The young woman consumed poison on Saturday, leaving behind a voice message accusing her husband and his parents of sustained physical and mental torture.
Rithanya, daughter of garment business owner and former political candidate Annadurai, was married to 28-year-old Kavin Kumar on April 11, 2025, in a lavish wedding. Her family reportedly provided 300 sovereigns of gold, a ₹70 lakh Volvo car, and spent nearly ₹2.5 crore on the ceremony, along with a promise to deliver an additional 200 sovereigns later.
Shockingly, the abuse began just 10 days into the marriage. According to family members and the voice note left by Rithanya, her husband Kavin, father-in-law Easwaramoorthy, and mother-in-law Chithradevi repeatedly harassed her over the pending gold. The cruelty extended to humiliating her for minor matters—forcing her to stand for long hours and using emotional intimidation. In her final message, Rithanya revealed that Kavin had threatened to kill himself if she spoke out about his behavior.
On the day of the incident, Rithanya had visited the Thalakkarai Lakshmi Narasimha Perumal Temple and later bought pesticide from Seyur. While en route to another temple in Mondipalayam, she consumed the poison in her car, parked by the roadside. Locals who noticed her unconscious alerted the police, but she was declared dead on arrival at the Avinashi Government Hospital.
Her final WhatsApp audio message, sent to her father, has since gone viral—triggering a wave of outrage and grief. In the recording, she named her husband and in-laws, describing the unbearable suffering she faced. Her family staged a protest outside the hospital and blocked a nearby road, demanding immediate justice.
The Tiruppur Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) conducted an inquiry, after which the police registered a case of abetment to suicide. Kavin Kumar, Easwaramoorthy, and Chithradevi have all been arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
This incident has ignited widespread condemnation across Tamil Nadu, with citizens and activists calling for stricter enforcement of anti-dowry laws and faster legal proceedings in dowry-related harassment cases.
