Chennai – A 24-years-old married woman in Chennai committed suicide on Saturday night after her husband justified sleeping with another woman ‘not a crime’ based on Supreme Court’s decriminalization of Adultery law three days ago.
According to Police, Pushpalatha wife of John Paul Franklin (27) – resident of Bharathi Nagar, Nesapakkam – committed suicide at MGR Nagar after her husband, a watchman, challenged her legally based on SC’s judgement that she has no right to interfere and stop him from sleeping with another woman.
This is the first casualty reported in India after the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday decriminalizing adultery.
Earlier married couple could enjoy justice under Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code, the adulterer could face five years of jail term.
The couple had a love marriage after a strong opposition from their families. The couple had a child, police said.
Franklin began distancing from his wife soon she was diagnosed with tuberculosis and was undergoing treatment. Franklin who works as a security guard at a corporation park in the locality did not help her financially.
Pushpalatha’s suspicion became strong as he started returning home late at nights. She picked up a fight with him after she came to know about his extra-marital affair.
Franklin turned deaf ears when she threatened to file a police complaint. “He went to the extent of telling her that she cannot book a case against him as the Supreme Court had ruled that extramarital affair was no more a crime,” said an investigating officer.
She was dejected over the failure of the law to protect her dignity so she decided to end her life by hanging herself, said one of her relatives who later informed MGR Nagar Police about the suicide.
Franklin has been arrested and is under investigation.
However, as per the Supreme Court, if adultery leads to a person’s suicide, the spouse responsible for it shall be detained by Police.
