The country witnessed a 14 per cent rise in dowry-related cases, with over 15,000 complaints filed and 6,100 dowry-linked deaths (including suicides) recorded in 2023.
HYDERABAD: Telangana has recorded the highest number of murders for dowry among all southern states, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2023. The state reported 36 cases of dowry-related murders, ranking far behind major offenders like West Bengal (220) and Odisha (224), but ahead of all other southern neighbours—Andhra Pradesh (26), Karnataka (12), Maharashtra (5) and Tamil Nadu (1). Within metropolitan cities, Hyderabad topped the list, accounting for three of the seven dowry-related murders reported nationwide in 2023.
The country witnessed a 14 per cent rise in dowry-related cases, with over 15,000 complaints filed and 6,100 dowry-linked deaths (including suicides) recorded in 2023. Telangana reported 145 dowry deaths, yet only four cases were registered under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, exposing a glaring gap between offences and prosecution. While the state saw a slight fall from 44 dowry murders in 2022, the numbers remain higher than those of all other southern states.
Recent cases reflect continuing brutality. In August, a 21-year-old woman in Hanamkonda was smothered to death by her husband, Ganesh, allegedly for refusing to provide dowry. He fled after locking the house. Around the same time, a 33-year-old woman in Kothagudem died following alleged starvation, confinement and physical abuse by her husband and in-laws.
Officials link numbers to reporting, not a rise in crime. Senior officials sought to explain the state’s high numbers by citing its larger population and improved reporting. “These figures reflect not just crimes committed but also the population size and accessibility of reporting mechanisms. Telangana police have made it easier for women to register complaints,” said a senior officer from the Women’s Safety Wing.
However, NCRB’s mid-year population estimates indicate that Telangana’s female population (189.6 lakh) is lower than Andhra Pradesh (226.1 lakh), Karnataka (334.2 lakh), Tamil Nadu (385.4 lakh) and Maharashtra (608 lakh)—and only slightly higher than Kerala (186.2 lakh), weakening the argument that population alone explains the state’s high figures.
A second official admitted that the trend remains alarming despite awareness drives. “We rarely see murders reported frequently, but such incidents are disturbing. We continue to raise awareness and urge women to approach women’s police stations for any form of harassment linked to marriage or dowry,” the official said.
