Vismaya’s husband dismissed from service over dowry death

Thiruvananthapuram: The government has dismissed S Kiran Kumar, husband of S V Vismaya, from government service. Vismaya was found dead under mysterious circumstances in her husband’s house in Kollam in connection with dowry issues.
It is the first instance in the state where a government servant is being dismissed from service in connection with the death of his wife due to dowry-related torture.
Kiran Kumar, who is being tried in connection with the case, was serving as assistant motor vehicle inspector in the Kollam regional office of the motor vehicle department. Transport minister Antony Raju said here on Friday that he is being dismissed from the service for involving in activities which are anti-social, against gender equality and womanhood. He said that his grossly illegal actions and moral turpitude has diminished the image of the government and the motor vehicle department among the general public. He has been dismissed from the service on the basis of relevant rules of the Kerala civil services rules, 1960.
As per rule 93(c) of the Kerala government servants conduct rules, 1960, “no government servant shall take or give dowry for his marriage or for the marriage of any member, or dependant, of his family”. In the case registered in Sooranad police station on June 21 in connection with the death of Vismaya, it has been recorded that her death was a result of continuous physical and mental torture by Kiran Kumar citing dowry issues. He was suspended from service on June 22 pending an inquiry, and the government had instructed to complete the probe within 45 days.
The minister said that a high-level official team of the department found him guilty on the basis of statements of witnesses and Kiran Kumar himself.
The minister said that the government’s decision to dismiss Kiran Kumar from service is in line with the chief minister’s assurance to the assembly and the civil society that the government will uphold women’s safety and gender equality. Vismaya was found dead in Kiran Kumar’s residence on June 21, and her relatives and friends had come up with allegations that she was under continuous torture from her husband demanding more dowry.