Days after the death of Sunisha, a 26-year-old woman from Kannur district in Kerala, the police have arrested her husband Vijeesh on charges of abetment of suicide and domestic violence. Vijeesh was arrested from his house in Payyanur on September 2 evening. He has been charged under IPC section 498 A (subjecting woman to cruelty) and section 306 (abetment of suicide). Sunisha was found dead at Vijeesh’s house on August 29. Though initially it was suspected to be a case of suicide, the audio made her husband and his family prime suspects in the case.
The Payyannur police have begun questioning Vijeesh. “He will be presented before the court in the afternoon,” Sub Inspector Yadu Krishnan told TNM. Sunisha’s death had attracted state-wide attention after a chilling audio of hers describing her ordeal at her husband’s became public. In the audio, Sunisha had said that she was being subjected to severe torture by both her in-laws and as well as by Vijeesh. Sunisha’s conversation with her brother, asking him to rescue her had gone viral. She could be heard saying, “If you can, please come now itself. Come towards the road. I am ready to come, I was thrashed by him and his mother. I am not sure if I will be alive tonight.”
The Kerala police also came under severe criticism following Sunisha’s death. Her family revealed that they had approached the police multiple times to complain about domestic violence, however the police did not help. The police have also been accused of not being keen to take any action against Vijeesh and his family even after Sunisha’s death. In June, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had urged the police to take tough action in cases related to atrocities against women and to ensure that people involved in the atrocities are severely punished. But the police department – which the Chief Minister handles – has been accused of many excesses in the recent past.
Sunisha’s aunt, who she was close to, had told the media that Sunisha was often assaulted by her husband and despite her family asking her to come back, she did not as she was wary of how people would react.