Dowry harassment: Aluva woman petitions CM, Kerala women's commission over police inaction

A native of Ernakulam district has alleged police inaction over her complaint of dowry harassment. The complainant, Dhanya Nalinakshan, told mediapersons on Saturday that she has filed complaints with the chief minister and the women's commission.

Kerala was rocked by a series of dowry-related harassment and even deaths in recent times.

Dhanya, a native of South Vazhakulam near Aluva had married Midhun, also hailing from the locality, in 2016. She told mediapersons at the Ernakulam Press Club that following repeated harassments from Midhun's family over dowry, she accompanied him to Canada a year after the marriage.

However, the harassment allegedly continued, and in October 2021 she moved through the NRI cell to file a complaint. But the Thadiyittaparamb Police refused to accept her online petition, she said.

Dhanya said her requests were repeatedly turned down. “But eventually they agreed to take my statement. However, they refused to note down whatever I was saying and kept asking questions. I spoke for about 1.5-2 hours, after which they said we will continue later and left,” Dhanya said.

She has alleged that the cops abused them for pointing out that her statements were not properly recorded. "When I raised my objection, they said oh you know the law so why don't you go to the Perumbavoor or Edathala CI? When I told them to give in writing that they can't proceed they refused,” she added.