January 16, Kathmandu. A 19-year-old college student, Shahana Mumthaz, was found dead at her home in Kerala's Malappuram district, on the morning of January 14. Her family has alleged that harassment by her husband and in-laws over her complexion and limited English proficiency drove her to take her own life.
Shahana, a first-year BSc Mathematics student, had married Abdul Wahab, an Abu Dhabi-based worker, in May last year. According to her family, the couple spent 22 days together after their wedding before Wahab returned to the UAE.
Shahana's uncle, Abdul Salam, claimed that Wahab later began ignoring her calls and harassed her through text messages, allegedly criticising her appearance and language skills.