Conviction of 3 women for abetting suicide of 15-yr-old upheld

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has confirmed the sentence awarded to three women in Thittakudi near Cuddalore for abetting the suicide of a 15-year-old girl.

As per the case, one Lakshmi had a disputes with her neighbours – Mariammal, Vijaya and Bairavi – owing to a drain that stagnated around her house causing inconvenience. When her brother Periyasamy, his wife and son Manikandan came to Lakshmi’s house for Pongal, a quarrel ensued on January 17, 2009, which escalated into a fight. This resulted in injuries to Manikandan and another person.

Police complaints were lodged by both parties. While Lakshmi and Periyasamy were attending to Manikandan, Mariammal, Vijaya and Bairavi abused Divyapriya, Lakshmi’s 15-year-old daughter. That afternoon, the girl set herself afire. Divyapriya was rushed to the Government Hospital, Thittakudi, but she died soon after sustaining 95 per cent burns.

After considering the evidence on record and hearing both sides, the trial court in 2012 convicted the accused under Section 306 IPC (abetment of suicide) and sentenced them to undergo simple imprisonment for two years and also directed to pay a sum of Rs 1,000 as fine. Challenging this, they filed an appeal.

When the case came before him, Justice PN Prakash noted that the women claimed that Divyapriya committed suicide due to domestic problems.

But considering the witnesses given by Divyapriya’s brother and others, Justice Prakash added: “If the appellants (Mariammal, Vijaya and Bairavi), by their acts and by their continuous course of conduct, creates a situation which leads the deceased perceiving no other option except to commit suicide, the case falls within the four corners of Section 306 IPC.”

Dismissing the appeal as devoid of merits, the judge also directed the trial court to secure the accused and commit them to prison for undergoing the remaining period of sentence.