UP woman seeks divorce 40 days after marriage over husband's refusal to take baths

The woman said that her husband's refusal to bathe daily had become a source of conflict. (Representational)

In a bizarre incident from Uttar Pradesh's Agra, a woman has sought divorce from her husband just 40 days after their wedding, citing his severe lack of personal hygiene. According to the woman, her husband bathes only once or twice a month, resulting in an unbearable body odour that she claims makes cohabitation impossible.

The distressed woman approached the family counselling centre in Agra, stating she could no longer tolerate living with a man who maintained such poor hygiene habits, India Today reported. In her complaint, she highlighted that her husband's refusal to bathe daily had become a constant source of conflict between them.

The officials questioned the husband and he admitted that he typically bathes only once or twice a month and, to compensate for the lack of bathing, sprinkles gangajal (holy water from the Ganges) on himself once a week. He further claimed that in the 40 days of their marriage, he had already bathed six times due to his wife's demands—a significant increase from his usual routine.

A few weeks into the marriage, due to frequent fights, the woman left for her house. The woman’s family lodged a dowry harassment complaint at a local police station and also initiated divorce proceedings.

Following a discussion with the police, the husband, Rajesh, agreed to improve his hygiene and promised to bathe daily. Despite this, his wife remained firm in her decision, expressing her unwillingness to continue living with him.

The couple has been instructed to return to the family counselling centre on September 22 for further discussions, but the outcome remains uncertain.