The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday directed the Director-General of Police to constitute within 48 hours a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by an officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police from the CB-CID or another specialised unit unconnected with Sivaganga district, to probe the death of a pregnant woman reported in the district. The woman’s family has alleged dowry-related cruelty.
Justice L. Victoria Gowri directed the Director of Medical Education and Research to constitute the neutral multidisciplinary medical board within 24 hours. The neutral board should take custody of the body and commence the re-post-mortem examination within 48 hours of its constitution. The Collector and Superintendent of Police should provide all assistance for the dignified transportation and burial of the body in accordance with the religious customs of the family, the court directed.
The court was hearing the petition filed by S. Fathima Beevi, mother of the deceased Afrin, of Tirupattur in Sivaganga district. Afrin was married to Mohammed Ashraf in 2026. According to the petitioner, gold jewellery of 19.5 sovereigns, household articles, and customary seer (dowry) articles were given to Afrin and her matrimonial family.
It is alleged that shortly after marriage, Afrin complained that her husband and his relatives demanded an additional 5.5 sovereigns of gold jewellery. The petitioner alleged that Afrin was subjected to physical assault, mental cruelty, humiliation, intimidation, and continuous harassment.
It is stated that Afrin informed her parental family that she was unable to tolerate the cruelty inflicted upon her. Though the petitioner and her family attempted to pacify the dispute and preserve the marriage, the alleged harassment continued.
According to the petitioner, Afrin was approximately four months pregnant at the time. On the night of June 16, Afrin allegedly contacted the petitioner over the telephone and cried uncontrollably. She is said to have stated that she could no longer tolerate the cruelty and requested that she be taken back to her parental home.
On June 17, around 8.40 a.m., Afrin again spoke to the petitioner. This is stated to have been the last meaningful communication between them. Around 9.50 a.m., Afrin’s husband allegedly informed the petitioner that Afrin had locked herself inside a room in the house.
The petitioner and her relatives reached the place at around 10.10 a.m. The petitioner raised doubts about the claim that the victim had died by suicide and said the room appeared to have been secured from outside. She claimed to have noticed visible injuries, including a prominent reddish mark over the posterior aspect of the left shoulder, and other suspicious marks on the body. The petitioner sought the transfer of the investigation to an independent SIT, preservation of all material and electronic evidence, constitution of a neutral medical board, and a re-post-mortem examination of the body.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416, Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050 and Speak2Us mental health helpline 9375493754.)
