Kerala Woman Vismaya's Husband Kiran Kumar Abetted Her Suicide, Gets Jailed For 10 Years

On May 23, the Kollam Additional Sessions court pronounced Vismaya’s husband Kiran Kumar guilty of driving her to suicide and harassing her for months over her dowry under several provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act. About a year ago, Vismaya N. Nair, 22, a student of Bachelor Of Medicine, Ayurveda and Surgery, died at her marital home in Kollam. They had sentenced Kiran to imprisonment for 10 years last year. 

The Kollam court has imposed a fine of rupees 12.55 lakh on Kumar, out of which he will pay rupees 2 lakh to Vismaya's parents. First, becoming acquainted through matrimonial websites with Kiran Kumar, an official with the Motor Vehicle Department, they got engaged on September 12, 2019, and tied the knot eight months afterwards.

Vismaya's brother told the Quint about her decision of marrying Kiran long before their profiles matched on the matrimonial website. The two got married on May 31, 2020, sharing special photoshoots of their marriage rituals, haldi and the wedding.

Suggested Reading: Vismaya Nair Dowry Death: Husband Kiran Kumar Found Guilty

Vismaya Suicide Case

Nine days after their marriage, according to The News Minute, Vismaya told her father about her alleged abuse which Kiran caused her. In a recording shortly after, he heard her say, "If I’m made to live here, you will not see me again. I will do something, I cannot bear it anymore. Father, I want to come back.” She says, “I am scared. I can’t go on like this,” she told him. While the father said she could come back to their home. He also told her that Kiran abused her in anger. "That is how life is," added Vismaya's father.

As per the chargesheet filed by the Kerala police, Kiran began abusing her the day after their marriage. He abused her because he did not get a Honda City car, which he demanded as part of a dowry. He later agreed to receive a Volkswagen Vento car. Her father, Thrivikraman Nair, said that Vismaya's family had given 100 sovereigns (800 gms of gold), one acre of land and a Toyota Yaris car as a dowry. Kiran, however, wanted to exchange the cash and the car.

According to reports, On June 9, Kiran transferred 42 sovereigns, which Vismaya received for her dowry, into his locker. Months later, in August, while the two were returning from shopping, they had an argument in a car that resulted in Kiran stopping the car and assaulting her physically. Running from the car and escaping to a nearby man's house where she stayed for an hour, Vismaya went back to her marital home. The man later became a key witness in the case and the case of Vismaya's death.

The Kerala police, in its over 500-page chargesheet, wrote Vismaya died by suicide owing to harassment perpetrated by Kiran over dowry.