KOLLAM, Kerala — In a shocking verdict on Monday, a court in Kerala’s Kollam district sentenced Chandulal and his mother, Geethalal, to life imprisonment for the dowry-related death of Chandulal’s wife, Tushara, who was starved to death in 2019.
The case, which prosecutors described as unprecedented in India, exposed the horrific abuse Tushara endured in the years following her marriage. Her mother, reacting to the verdict, expressed relief but also sorrow at the suffering her daughter endured.
“The dowry harassment began just three months after the wedding,” Tushara’s mother told reporters. “My daughter suffered immensely, but she chose to stay. Every time she called us, she would ask for money but insisted we not visit her.”
Tushara was brought dead to a local hospital in March 2019. Her emaciated condition shocked her family and medical staff—she weighed just 21 kilograms (about 46 pounds), reduced to skin and bones. A post-mortem examination revealed there was no food in her stomach and her bladder was completely empty, suggesting prolonged starvation.
Investigations revealed that Tushara had been subjected to relentless torture by her husband and mother-in-law, who locked her in a room for days without food or water as they continued to pressure her family for more dowry. Isolated from her parents and even denied access to her two young daughters, Tushara’s ordeal lasted for months.
The case came to light when authorities learned that even basic rights were denied to her. Prosecutors highlighted one particularly disturbing detail: when one of Tushara’s daughters was enrolled in school, Geethalal, the mother-in-law, falsely listed herself as the child’s mother. The truth only emerged after Tushara’s death was widely reported.
“This is a one-of-a-kind case in our country,” the prosecution counsel told the court. “I have never encountered a case where someone was deliberately starved to death. The post-mortem report was clear—there were no food particles in her stomach or any liquid in her bladder.”
The investigating officer noted that the case was built successfully due to the cooperation of witnesses who helped establish the pattern of abuse.
Tushara’s death has drawn widespread condemnation, reigniting discussions about dowry-related violence and the need for stronger protections for women in India. The life sentences handed down Monday are being viewed as a rare but significant legal response to the often under-reported issue of dowry harassment and domestic abuse. (Source: IANS)
