A 21-year-old newly married woman allegedly died by suicide in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, with her family accusing her in-laws of dowry harassment and repeated physical abuse. According to police, the incident took place on May 12 in the Morar area.
Police Investigation Underway
Morar CSP Atul Kumar Soni said police teams were rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident. "This incident occurred on May 12, and upon receiving the information, police teams were immediately dispatched to the scene. The woman was initially admitted to Morar Hospital; however, her family requested that she be transferred to Birla Hospital, where she was subsequently declared dead. A post-mortem of the body was conducted thereafter," Soni said.
He added, "Based on the statements provided by the deceased's family members, allegations have surfaced accusing her in-laws of constantly demanding a vehicle, withholding her 'Stridhan', and subjecting her to continuous harassment through taunts."
"A case will be registered against the in-laws based on the MLC report, the recorded statements, and the evidence collected from the crime scene. The marriage took place one year ago, and it is alleged that within just 3–4 months of the wedding, the in-laws began taunting the deceased and demanding a vehicle—behaviour that caused her significant distress and which she frequently discussed with her own family members. Action will be taken accordingly. The matter is currently under preliminary investigation; once the reports are received, a formal case will be registered—incorporating the relevant legal sections—based on the statements provided by the family members," he said.
Family's Account of Harassment
The deceased's father, Mohar Singh, alleged that his daughter had repeatedly informed the family about the harassment she faced. "My daughter told me that her in-laws were demanding a car... I would speak to them repeatedly, but after a few days, they would revert to their old ways—physically abusing her and subjecting her to taunts," he said.
"The police have stated that they are conducting an investigation... The strictest possible action must be taken against them, as something like this should never happen to anyone else's daughter again... Her father-in-law is a government employee," he added.
The woman's mother, Seema, said the family initially avoided approaching the police in the hope of preserving relations between the two families. "My daughter used to tell me that her in-laws harassed her... Filing a police complaint would have strained our relations, and that is why we did not take any action against them," she said.
"At the time of the wedding, they did not demand anything. We gave them a car worth Rs 2 lakh, furniture worth Rs 3 lakh, and Rs 2.5 lakh in cash. We also gave them 10 tolas of gold and half a kilogram of silver," she alleged. "Now, they were demanding another car; they should have simply sent her back to us instead... They even physically assaulted her, and despite our repeated interventions, they did not change their behaviour. On the night of May 12, she told me, 'They are hanging a fan for me; they are fighting with me...' We want justice and punishment for those people," Seema said.
The police are continuing their investigation and have assured that strict action will be taken against the accused based on the evidence collected.
