Just four days after her wedding, a 25-year-old woman died by suicide at her parents’ house near Ponneri on Monday, allegedly due to harassment from her in-laws, who had demanded one sovereign of gold jewellery and an air conditioner.
The police said the victim was identified as P. Logeshwari of Muslim Nagar near Ponneri. She married E. Panneer, 37, a private firm employee of Kattavur village in Ponneri, on June 27. Soon after her wedding, her in-laws, including her sister-in-law, began harassing her by demanding jewellery from her.
The police said the bridegroom’s family demanded 10 sovereigns of gold jewellery as dowry before marriage. The bride’s family agreed to give them five sovereigns, but eventually gave four sovereigns. Panneer’s family harassed her for the remaining one sovereign and the air conditioner, the police added.
On Monday, the couple went to Logeshwari’s parents house. That night, Logeshwari went to the washroom and did not come out.
Her mother found her dead. She alerted the police, who recovered the body and sent it for a postmortem. Following a complaint, the police registered a case and began an investigation.
On Tuesday, the Ponneri police arrested Panneer and his mother Poongothai, 60.
Efforts are on to nab Panneer’s father Ezhumalai and his sister Nadhiya, who are absconding, the police said.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416. and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)
Published – July 02, 2025 12:53 am IST