The brutal dowry-related murder of 26-year-old Nikki Bhati is shocking. A circulating video of her six-year-old son describing how his father burned his mother in front of his eyes induces chills. Though heart-wrenching, this isn’t an isolated incident. Despite the existence of stringent laws for decades, thousands of innocent women fall victim to dowry in India each year.
Frightening Statistics
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India recorded 6,450 dowry deaths in 2022. This means, on average, 18 women lose their lives every day due to dowry. From 2018 to 2022, this violence claimed the lives of 34,477 women.
However, the prevalence of this issue isn't uniform across regions. Uttar Pradesh consistently witnesses the highest number of dowry deaths. In 2022 alone, UP accounted for 2,138 cases, followed by Bihar with 1,057, and Madhya Pradesh with 518 incidents. Southern India presents a different picture, with Karnataka reporting 165 cases, Telangana 137, and Kerala only 11.
UP's Alarming Scenario
In the last 5 years (2018-2022), UP documented 11,488 dowry deaths, with an average of 6 women dying daily due to dowry. Consequently, every third dowry death in India occurs in UP. The state's dowry death rate stands at 10.3 per lakh women, higher than the national average of 5.2. Bihar's figure is 8.9, Madhya Pradesh's is 6.6, Rajasthan's is 5.7, and West Bengal's is 4.8.
Source: aajtak
Remarkably, five states—UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and West Bengal—are responsible for 70% of the country's dowry deaths, indicating the deep-rooted nature of this problem.
Behind Each Number Lies a Face, a Story, and a Family
Nikki Bhati's case exemplifies that these statistics are not just numbers, but behind each one is a face, a story, and a shattered family. According to police reports, Nikki was tormented and beaten by her in-laws for months before being burned alive. This case is not unprecedented in its brutality, but rather in the silence faced by thousands of women every year whose stories remain untold.
A women's activist from Noida points out that despite widespread awareness, dowry remains a regressive ideology. Shockingly, it persists unabated with society largely silent.
The Struggle for Justice Isn't Easy
Dowry-related death statistics are largely available only at the state level, with district or city data hard to come by. Although police register FIRs, the general public lacks easy access to them, adding to the victim families' agony. The judiciary is also burdened with such cases, with over 13,000 cases filed under the Dowry Prohibition Act in 2022 alone, equating to three cases every two hours.
Help for Dowry Victims
National Commission for Women (NCW) Helpline - 7827 170 170 (24x7), 011 2694 4805 UP Women Helpline (181/1091) - Police Women's Safety Helpline Emergency Number (112) - Immediate Police/Fire/Ambulance Help Legal Aid Services (NLSA) - Free legal assistance at district and state levels
