A heartbreaking video recorded moments before her death has brought the spotlight back on allegations of dowry-related harassment in Uttarakhand. Srishti Kandhari, a government school teacher from Dehradun, died by suicide after enduring months of mental and physical abuse at the hands of her husband and in-laws, according to a complaint filed by her family.
In the emotional video, Kandhari is seen struggling to compose herself as she repeatedly breaks down in tears. After nearly half a minute of sobbing, she apologises to her mother before saying she has reached the limit of what she could bear.
“Sorry, mummy… I am leaving like this,” she says, adding that she had been tolerating the situation for the past six months. Kandhari further alleges that her husband’s family constantly blamed her for incidents that occurred after the marriage and repeatedly branded her as “manhoos” (inauspicious), saying their attitude was never going to change.
Mother alleges dowry harassment
According to the complaint lodged by Kandhari’s mother, the teacher was subjected to persistent mental and physical harassment over dowry after marrying Saurabh Raturi, a government employee, in November last year. The couple had been residing in the Doiwala area, around 20 kilometres from Dehradun.
The family has accused Kandhari’s husband and his relatives of repeatedly humiliating her and creating an environment that drove her to take the extreme step.
FIR registered against husband and in-laws
Acting on the complaint, police have registered an FIR against Kandhari’s husband, Saurabh Raturi, her mother-in-law Parvina, and her sister-in-law Charu. The case has been filed under provisions relating to dowry death and other relevant sections of law.
Confirming the development, Doiwala Circle Officer Vandana Verma said police and a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team examined the scene after receiving information about the suicide. A post-mortem examination has also been completed.
Verma said Kandhari had been married for around eight months and that both she and her husband were government employees. She added that the allegations made by the deceased’s family are under investigation and further legal action will depend on the findings.
The police have not drawn any conclusions regarding the allegations at this stage, and the investigation is ongoing.
