Kerala Health Minister Veena George ordered the Women and Child Development department to conduct a probe into the suicide of a 26-year-old woman doctor over dowry demands, and submit a report on the same.

Shahana, a PG student in the surgery department of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, was found dead at her rented apartment on Tuesday morning. Following her death, her relatives alleged that she died by suicide after her boyfriend refused to marry her as her family could not fulfil dowry demands.

His family allegedly demanded a significant dowry in the form of gold, land, and a BMW car. When Shahana’s family was unable to fulfil the demands, her boyfriend - who was also a representative of the Medical PG Doctors Association, ended their relationship.

Shahana's father, who was working in the Middle East, died recently.

The Medical College Police has registered a case of unnatural death in the matter.

Meanwhile, Kerala Women's Commission Chairperson, Sathidevi, visited Shahana's mother at her house on Wednesday. Sathidevi demanded an investigation into the case, adding that the women's commission would seek a report on the action taken by police in the matter.

Sathidevi said that if it is established that the accused doctor's family demanded a dowry from the victim, a case would be lodged against them under the Prevention of Dowry Act.