Nilgiris district police have arrested a 27-year-old man and four of his family members on charges of murdering his wife by forcing her to consume coffee laced with cyanide. The shocking incident, which took place on June 24th, was allegedly motivated by the husband and his family’s dissatisfaction with the dowry provided by the victim’s parents.
The primary accused, identified as J. Imran, was arrested following a 75-day investigation into the mysterious death of his wife, A. Ashika Parveen, 22, a resident of Bandishola. Along with Imran, the police have also detained his father, J. Imran Sr., mother, J. Yasmin, younger brother, J. Mukthar, and a relative named Kalif, 56. All are residents of the Kandal area in Udhagamandalam, Nilgiris district.
Background of the Case
Imran had married Ashika on July 15, 2021. The couple had a two-year-old child together. Ashika, the daughter of Abdul Samad and Nilofer Nisha of Vannarapettai, had frequently confided in her parents about the harassment she faced at the hands of her in-laws, who persistently demanded more dowry. Specifically, Yasmin and her two sons had reportedly pressured Ashika to secure an additional Rs. 20 lakhs from her parents to purchase a plot of land.
On June 24th, Ashika was found dead in the kitchen of her husband’s home, frothing at the mouth and displaying symptoms consistent with cyanide poisoning. Imran informed Ashika’s parents that she had committed suicide by drinking poison-laced coffee. However, her parents were suspicious of this explanation and immediately reported the incident to the Ooty West Police Station.
Investigation and Arrests
The police registered a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 194 of the Bharathiya Nagraik Surakasha Sanhita and launched a thorough investigation. The body was sent for autopsy, which confirmed the presence of cyanide and revealed multiple bruises and injuries on Ashika’s neck, shoulder, and rib bones, indicating that she may have been physically assaulted before her death.
As the investigation progressed, it was discovered that Yasmin and her sons had allegedly purchased cyanide from a shop, mixed it with coffee, and forcibly made Ashika drink it. The motive behind the murder was their frustration over Ashika’s failure to secure the demanded dowry.
Given the evidence, the police altered the case to Section 103 (murder) of the Bharathiya Nagraik Surakasha Sanhita. Following growing public pressure and a protest led by Ashika’s parents and relatives outside the Ooty West Police Station on August 31, demanding swift action, the police finally arrested the four family members on August 30.
The police have formed a special team to track down one more suspect, a man from Palakkad who is closely associated with Yasmin and her family and is believed to be connected to the case. The investigation continues as the police seek to uncover the full extent of the crime and bring all involved parties to justice.
