Kanhangad: The police have registered a case against a man for allegedly pronouncing triple talaq through a WhatsApp voice message to divorce his wife. The Hosdurg police registered the case based on a complaint filed by C H Nusaiba (21), a native of Kallooravi, against her husband, Abdul Razaq, a resident of Nellikatte.

This is the first case in the district since the enactment of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act 2019, which prohibits instant triple talaq. The police have also named Razaq’s mother as the second accused and his sister as the third accused under the Dowry Prohibition Act, following allegations of dowry harassment in the case.

According to the complaint, Razaq, who is currently abroad, sent a WhatsApp voice message to Nusaiba’s father’s phone on February 21, pronouncing talaq three times. The couple got married on August 11, 2022, after meeting through Instagram and later registered their marriage under Muslim customs at the Kanhangad Municipality.

Nusaiba alleged that she faced harassment at her husband’s house over dowry demands. Razaq’s family reportedly insisted on 50 sovereigns of gold, but due to financial constraints, her family could provide only 20 sovereigns with the help of relatives. She claimed that the harassment continued over the issue.

She further alleged that Razaq’s family locked her in a room and subjected her to physical abuse. When she informed Razaq about the mistreatment, he assured her that they could sell her gold and move abroad together. Trusting him, she sold the gold and transferred around Rs 12 lakh to his bank account.