ISLAMABAD: India recorded 5,737 dowry deaths in 2024, equivalent to nearly one woman dying every 90 minutes, according to the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) Crime in India 2024 report.
In NCRB's report released earlier this month, the deaths are registered under the category of "dowry deaths" under Section 80 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, previously Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code, which covers cases where women die under unnatural circumstances within seven years of marriage following dowry-related harassment.
The report lands as two high-profile cases have reignited national debate on abuse related to dowry.
In Greater Noida, 24-year-old Deepika Nagar died on 18 May after falling from the rooftop of her matrimonial home; her post-mortem revealed a brain hematoma, ruptured organs, and multiple contusions, India’s The Hindu reported.
According to the newspaper, her family alleges she was killed over demands for a Toyota Fortuner and Rs4.5–5 million in cash.
In Bhopal, actor-model Twisha Sharma, 33, was found hanging at her matrimonial home on 12 May.
While her in-laws insist she suffered from drug addiction, her family says she was harassed for dowry, leading to her death, the New Indian Express reported.
Indian media outlets citing the NCRB report said the figures translate to more than 15 dowry-related deaths every day across the country.
While the numbers have declined compared to previous years, the scale of violence against women linked to dowry practices remains alarming, NDTV said.
Dowry deaths
According to the NCRB report, Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of dowry deaths in 2024 with 2,038 cases, accounting for more than one-third of the national total.
Bihar followed with 1,078 cases, while Madhya Pradesh reported 450 deaths. Rajasthan and West Bengal recorded 386 and 337 cases, respectively.
The data also documented cases classified as "dowry murders," involving direct fatal violence linked to dowry disputes. NDTV, citing the report, said West Bengal recorded 163 such cases in 2024, followed by Odisha with 161.
Rajasthan reported 75 cases, while Bihar and Uttar Pradesh recorded 66 and 58, respectively.
According to NCRB figures, more than 120,000 cases were also registered in 2024 under the category of "cruelty by husband or relatives." Uttar Pradesh recorded over 21,000 such cases, while West Bengal reported nearly 20,000.
Indian media reports citing NCRB data said more than 12,000 dowry-related cases were registered under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 nationwide in 2024, while thousands of cases remained pending investigation or trial.
