Five years. 35,493 women murdered. The sole reason: dowry. Whether it's Greater Noida's Nikki Bhati or Jodhpur's Sanju Bishnoi, they are not merely names but harrowing statistics of women sacrificed on the dowry altar. Around 20 women each day are pushed towards death due to demands for dowry. Often, even years after marriage, brides endure physical and emotional torture.
The dowry system runs so deep that the sacred institution of marriage has become a transaction. Women's rights activist Yogita Bhayana observes that dowry is still openly glorified in society. She recounts, "I attended a wedding in Noida and was shocked to see luxury cars, like Fortuners and Mercedes, being handed over as dowry."
Yogita adds, "I couldn't tolerate the glorification of dowry, so I left. This mindset is entrenched in society. Nikki's father, Bikhari Singh, during a TV program, repeatedly mentioned giving a top model SUV to the groom. Jewelry and money were also gifted. Instead of discussing his daughter's death, he focused on dowry."
Anti-dowry laws have been in place in India since 1961. However, the harsh reality is that the groom's family still expects cash, jewelry, cars, and expensive gifts. When these demands are unmet, brides are subjected to verbal abuse, physical violence, and, in many cases, killed. Nikki was married to Vipin Bhati at the tender age of 17.
Following Nikki's death, multiple layers of the case have unfolded in the police investigation. Initially, accusations were made against her husband and in-laws. All accused: Vipin Bhati, the mother-in-law Dayawati, father-in-law Satveer, and brother-in-law Rohit, have been arrested. Yet, the question remains—murder or suicide? Experts believe whatever the legal definition may be, Nikki's demise resulted from dowry demands and torment.
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Source: aajtak
The terror of dowry isn't limited to Nikki Bhati alone. In Jodhpur, a government school teacher, Sanju Bishnoi, set herself ablaze with her three-year-old daughter in her arms. Despite earning a good salary and being married for ten years, her in-laws persistently demanded dowry and harassed her.
Psychologist Dr. Shweta Sharma explains that dowry has become a tool for patriarchal control. According to her, even if women hold high-paying jobs, they are still viewed as dependents. Dowry feeds the male ego. History has repeatedly confirmed this grim reality. A study by the University of Southern California and the University of Virginia analyzed over 74,000 marriages, revealing that 90% involved dowry. From 1950 to 1999, the total dowry exchanged reached $250 billion or 21 trillion rupees. Lawyer Seema Kushwaha notes that courts are often swayed by the argument that dowry given in marriages is a 'gift.'
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Source: aajtak
By exaggerating rare cases of misuse of Indian Penal Code Section 498A, genuine victims' cases are undermined. Mental and emotional abuse remains challenging to establish in our courts, which often regard only physical injury as evidence. As a result, many victimized women are denied justice.
The heart-wrenching incident in Sirsa Village, Greater Noida, on August 21, has once again proven that dowry is not just a mere tradition but a harbinger of death. The National Crime Records Bureau statistics unveil this appalling truth, leaving us astounded. After Nikki and Sanju, who knows how many more women will fall prey to the dowry demon?
