Late VKN, who enlightened Malayalam readers with his humorous stories and novels had described Kerala as a land of ‘Poricha Vadhu’ (Malayalam for Fried Brides). This was not to pepper his story with hilarity that VKN made use of this term.
The bursting of kerosene stoves and the immolation of newly-wed brides were routine events in Kerala’s social life.
The last three days saw Vissmaya, a final year BAMS student who was married off to an assistant motor vehicle inspector, dead in her husband’s house allegedly as a result of physical and mental torture, Kiran, her husband, had demanded a limousine, 100 sovereigns and a 120 cents plot of land (worth `2 crore in local real estate market) to tie the nuptial knot. After two months of marriage, the bridegroom expressed his displeasure with the brand new Toyota Corolla car which was given by Vismaya’s father Thrivikraman as dowry.
“Life turned out to be hell for her because of the physical assaults carried out by Kiran, his mother and sister. On Monday morning she was found dead under mysterious circumstances in her husband’s house. My daughter would not commit suicide. She had great dreams. She dreamt of becoming an Ayurvedic doctor, specialize in Indian system of medicine and serve the poor,” Thrivikraman told The Pioneer.
Kiran and his family members assaulted Vismaya non-stop during the last three days of her life. The young lady had sent pictures of the injuries on her body to her brother along with the threatening words used by the husband. The 30 year old husband is heard telling Vismaya that he was not happy with the car given by her father and insisted that she ask her family members for a luxury car. “I am a Government officer and deserve more than this,” were his catchwords throughout the two months-long ordeal.
Archana (24) at Thiruvananthapuram succumbed to burns she suffered on late Monday night at her husband Suresh’s house. A nursing graduate, Archana was confined to her in-law’s house after the marriage and her husband was tormenting her parents for `3 lakh since the wedding function was over. According to neighbours, Suresh always stored diesel in the house since his marriage for reasons known only to him.
On Tuesday evening Suchitra (19) was found dead, hanging in her husband’s house. Suchitra’s wedding was solemnised on March 21 with Vishnu, a Government employee working in Uttrakhand. Sunil, father of Suchitra, told media that there was no possibility or reason for his daughter resorting to the extreme measure. The Police is yet to disclose anything about the death of Suchitra.
The Kerala State Crime Records Bureau in its report has stated that 65 brides were found murdered/dead under mysterious circumstances in the State during 2020-21. “The list is endless and we take note of these only deaths only if there is some sensational news behind the deaths. Last year, Kerala men set new trends in how to murder young wives. Uthara, a young wife got killed in snake bite. Investigation revealed that her husband got her bitten by a deadly cobra to get rid of her after the honeymoon,” said Prof V T Rema, women’s activist and former principal of Government Arts College, Palakkadu.
She said though there were laws, the investigating agencies do not pursue the murders/deaths because of lethargy and inherent weaknesses.
“Kerala is not a safe place for women or girls. These heart-rending events prove beyond doubt that parents of girls should be vigilante against prospective bridegrooms,” said the professor, known for her knowledge in philosophy.
At the time of going to Press, a widow whose daughter Priyanka was found dead in her house at Thiruvananthapuram following physical assault by her husband Unni Rajan Dev, son of late Malayalam film artist Rajan P Dev.