Dowry Deaths Continue Across India Despite Strict Laws, NCRB Data Shows

Recent dowry-related incidents from different parts of India have once again drawn attention to the continuing crisis of violence against women linked to dowry harassment.

In Greater Noida, 25-year-old Deepika Nagar died on May 18, 2026, after falling from the rooftop balcony of her matrimonial home just 17 months after her marriage. Her family alleged that she faced repeated harassment and torture over dowry demands.

In Bhopal, the death of Twisha Sharma sparked nationwide outrage and renewed scrutiny of dowry-related abuse even among educated and influential families. The case has triggered intense public debate and legal attention.

In another case from Madhya Pradesh, 23-year-old Khushboo Patani allegedly suffered brutal physical abuse over dowry demands. Police said she sustained serious burn injuries inflicted by her husband before escaping and reaching a hospital. An FIR has been registered in the case.

Latest reports indicate another dowry related death has been reported from Delhi. The victim was identified as Veena Kumari, and her husband, 27-year-old Raju Singh, and his 22-year-old brother, Rajkumar, were arrested on Wednesday evening.

Alarming Cases in India:

According to the latest "Crime in India 2024" report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India recorded 5,737 dowry deaths in 2024, men and women combined, meaning an average of 15 to 16 persons lose their lives daily due to dowry-related violence, harassment, or forced suicide.

Between 2023 and 2024, the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) 2024 report showed a nearly 6.7 per cent increase in dowry-related suicide cases, rising from 1,587 cases in 2023 to 1,693 cases in 2024, pointing to the continued impact of dowry harassment and abuse in the country.

Together, the data shows concerns over the persistence of dowry-related violence across social and economic backgrounds, despite decades of legal safeguards and public awareness campaigns.

What does the law say:

- The Indian legal system relies on several stringent, overlapping laws to penalize perpetrators and protect victims

- The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 makes both giving and taking dowry illegal.

- Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, Section 80 deals with “dowry deaths.” If a woman dies under suspicious or unnatural circumstances within seven years of marriage and had faced dowry harassment shortly before her death, the law presumes the husband or his family is responsible.

- Section 85 of the BNS punishes husbands or relatives who subject a woman to cruelty, abuse, or harassment over dowry demands, regardless of the duration of the marriage.

- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, mandates accelerated investigations and swift court trials to prevent the prolonged harassment of victims' families during legal battles.

This article is written by Amatallah Waheed, a student of English and Foreign Languages University, interning with Deccan Chronicle.