Dowry deaths in India: The grim statistics of a dark social practice

NCRB data shows 6,450 dowry deaths were reported in 2022, with Uttar Pradesh alone accounting for one-third of the cases.

Despite being prohibited under law for over six decades, dowry-related violence continues to claim thousands of lives in India each year. Recent incidents from Uttar Pradesh, including the Nikki Bhati case, where the 28-year-old was allegedly set ablaze by her husband and in-laws, and cases from Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, have brought the issue back into focus.

While the Nikki Bhati case has witnessed several twists and turns, adding mystery to the exact reason behind her death, an undated video showing her being beaten by her husband for dowry has jolted public conscience and set off a raging debate about the dark social practice in India.

The scale of the problem

According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), on average, around 20 women die every day in dowry-related cases.

NCRB data shows that 6,450 dowry deaths were reported in 2022, in addition to 13,479 cases filed under the Dowry Prohibition Act. Between 2017 and 2022, 35,493 dowry death cases were registered across India, averaging nearly 6,000 cases annually.

A look at year-wise trends indicates a gradual decline from 7,466 cases in 2017 to 6,450 cases in 2022. While this points to some progress, experts caution that many cases remain unreported due to social and family pressures.

States with highest numbers

Uttar Pradesh accounted for the highest number of dowry deaths in 2022 with 2,138 cases, nearly one-third of the national total. The Nikki Bhati case also emerged from Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh. It is followed by Bihar and Madhya Pradesh with 1,057 and 518 cases, respectively. Rajasthan and West Bengal are also among the states reporting a high number of dowry cases. Together, these five states make up nearly 70% of dowry death cases in the country.

While a greater number of dowry cases are reported from rural areas, major urban cities are not immune either. Delhi reported the highest number of dowry deaths among major cities during 2017–2022, followed by Kanpur, Bengaluru, Lucknow and Patna.

Investigations and convictions

The NCRB data highlights delays in investigation and low conviction rates. Of roughly 7,000 dowry death cases reported annually, only about 4,500 are charge-sheeted by police. Others remain under investigation or are closed for reasons such as insufficient evidence or withdrawal of complaint.

Pending investigations also take time. NCRB figures show that 67% of cases pending at the end of 2022 had been under investigation for more than six months. Of the cases that reached court, convictions were rare. Out of around 6,500 cases sent for trial annually, only about 100 ended in convictions—less than 2%. By the end of 2022, till the latest data is available, over 60,000 cases were pending in courts, including 54,416 carried over from previous years.

Speaking to PTI, Supreme Court lawyer Seema Kushwaha explained the reason behind low conviction rates. She said that dowry demands have evolved over time, with the groom's families often claiming that the items given were mere "gifts, not demands" and using this as a legal defence to dismiss allegations. Kushwaha said that these tactics weaken the woman's case in courts. Moreover, she said the spread of narratives emphasising the few cases of women misusing the law undermines the cases of the larger group of genuine victims.

What the law says

Dowry deaths were earlier addressed under Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code, which is now Section 80 under BNS. This prescribes imprisonment of not less than seven years, extendable to life imprisonment. The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, makes giving and taking dowry a punishable offence, with penalties including imprisonment and fines.

Meanwhile, Section 498A IPC (now Section 85 under BNS) deals with cruelty against a married woman by her husband or his relatives, including for demands like dowry. This can include any conduct or action by the family members that can drive the woman to die by suicide or cause serious harm to her mental or physical health, or harassment with the intent of forcing her or her family to give dowry.

Recent cases

On  August 21, 28-year-old Nikki Bhati from Greater Noida died after being allegedly set ablaze by her husband and in-laws. Her family claimed that despite providing a Scorpio SUV, a motorcycle, and gold jewellery as dowry, the in-laws demanded an additional Rs 36 lakh and a luxury car.

In April, a woman from Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, was allegedly burned alive following unmet dowry demands for a motorcycle and jewellery.

In Tamil Nadu, Ridhanya, a newlywed, died by suicide two months after marriage, allegedly due to harassment despite her family providing 800 grams of gold and a Volvo car worth Rs 70 lakh.

In Rajasthan, a school teacher in Jodhpur reportedly set herself and her three-year-old daughter on fire over dowry-related harassment.