Goemkarponn Desk
NUVEM: Patorciana Fernandes of Gounloy, Nuvem, is the subject of a case filed by Maina-Curtorim police for allegedly intimidating and abusing her daughter-in-law, Samanta Fernandes, over demands for dowry. On August 30, this year, Samanta passed away at Goa Medical College from burn injuries.
Based on a court order from the Deputy Collector and Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Salcete, PSI Praful Giri registered the offence on November 30. Section 304-B of the Indian Penal Code has been used to register the case. Samanta Fernandes, 30, was the victim of cruelty and harassment from Patorciana Fernandes, the accused, which resulted in burns that eventually killed Samanta. Although the Maina-Curtorim Police filed a report, no one has been taken into custody as of yet.
Recall that Ana Maria Dias, the mother of Samanta and a resident of Sao Jose De Areal, had petitioned the Director General of Police (DGP), the Home Secretary, and the Chief Secretary to have her daughter’s mother-in-law arrested on charges of murder, mental torture, and dowry harassment.
She insisted on having a fresh team of doctors perform a second autopsy on her daughter’s corpse.
Subsequently, a copy of the complaint was turned in to the Maina-Curtorim police station, where it was claimed that the mother-in-law had murdered her daughter and had harassed her about the dowry.
On August 29, Ana Maria Dias stated that her daughter had called to tell her that she could no longer put up with her mother-in-law’s harassment.
Samanta and her mother-in-law got into a furious fight at their Nuvem home because the latter was insisting on receiving a dowry. In her petition, Dias claimed that Samanta pushed her mother-in-law in self-defense after their argument turned physical. Her mother-in-law then set Samanta on fire.
According to PSI Giri, a comprehensive investigation will be finished and the proper steps will be taken.
