Woman Killed By Husband And In-Laws Over Dowry In Noida, What Is Emboldening People To Take A Life For Material Gain?

With the kind of crimes against women being reported every other day now, it looks like humanity is slowly fading away from our societal fabric. The recent case of a woman allegedly killed by her husband and in-laws over dowry, specifically for not providing a Fortuner car, once again has highlighted the disturbing reality of women in the country.

Amidst dialogues around women making a mark with their endeavours, and progressing towards gender parity in the country among others, this incident has served as a harsh reminder that we first need to address societal evils like dowry that has been rotting our roots. To truly make progress towards gender equality and empowerment in the country, we must be first willing to offer all women a safe and equal space. Given the present state of affairs in the country, it seems quite clear that we have a long journey ahead of us.

Disturbing Facts Of The Dowry-Murder Case

Karishma married Vikas in December 2022. Recently, she called up her brother Deepak to inform him that her husband Vikas along with her parents and siblings had thrashed her. On reaching the house, Deepak found her sister dead.

According to a report by NDTV, Karishma's family gave gold worth ₹11 Lakhs with an SUV to the groom's family at the time of the wedding. Over the years, however, they kept demanding more dowry from Karishma, alleged her brother. She was physically and mentally abused in the name of dowry. On the birth of a baby girl, Karishma's family gave another ₹10 lakh to the family but the abuse didn't stop. In a new demand, the family demanded for a Fortuner car and ₹21 lakh from the girl's family. A case has been registered against Vikas, his parents, and his siblings.

It is disheartening to see a tragedy like this one for a materialistic motive. Unfortunately, each crime against women reported lately has been surpassing the last one in its severity. Where are we headed?

13,479 cases were reported in 2022 under the Dowry Prohibition Act, of 1961. A staggering number of 1,40,000 cases were filed under 'Cruelty by Husband or His Relatives' (Section 498 A IPC) and 6,450 dowry deaths were reported in the same year according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). (Infographic)

Uncovering The Systemic Plight

The alarming details of the case highlight the growing cruelty in our hearts. A woman was tragically murdered by her husband for want of a car and money as dowry. Her prolonged abuse and death speak volumes about the prevalence of dowry and other forms of violence against women still ingrained in our society despite stringent laws in place.

It also raises questions on why people driven by materialistic motives feel gutsy to commit such heinous crimes, seemingly not thinking of the aftermath. To gain insights from a legal expert, we engaged in conversation with Siddharth Chandrashekhar, Advocate and Legal Counsel, Bombay High Court.

He said, "We, unfortunately, live in a blatantly patriarchal world, and this results in systemic toxicity in our approach towards women and crimes against women. The problem stems from the fact that perpetrators of crime, especially such kinds of violent crimes, believe that they can get away with impunity today.”

The expert stressed the other factor contributing to the nonchalant attitude of perpetrators, "The investigation machinery often engages in victim blaming, victim shaming, apathy when it comes to crimes against women in general. They come up with excuses to shield a perpetrator whether on a personal level or they feel the crime is not worthy of their time or consideration. No wonder women feel hesitant, jeopardised even today before reaching out to the police for justice. Women should feel safe approaching police authorities to register a complaint in circumstances like this.”

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The Vicious Cycle Of Dowry

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A few days back, a social media reel with men sitting in two groups and announcing extravagant 'gifts' coming from the bride's side went viral on social media. A man was seen reading out the list of items. The man read, “Ek dining table hai, do gaadi, ek Mercedez Benz, ek Fortuner, kul milaake 1.25kg sona hai aur 7kg chaandi (There is a dining table, two cars including a Mercedes E-Class and a Toyota Fortuner apart from 1.25kg gold and 7kg silver).” A display like that only strengthens the belief that dowry is still an acceptable practice in our society.

"Kya kare, iss samaj me rehna hai toh dahej lena-dena hi padta hai (what can we do, we live in a society where we have to give and take dowry) was something I grew up listening to around me all the time. "We have no demands but if the bride wants to bring along something for herself, we won't mind that" - No matter how strongly we think, such assertions can't absolve our conscience, it still makes us part of the dowry cycle.

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If we stop associating marriages with dowry, and gift-giving, we will be able to shatter this vicious cycle, freeing women from all societal pressures, and further ensuring a happier, safer married life.

And if we are still hesitant, perhaps the lifelong commitment and institution of marriage should be acknowledged as a business arrangement wherein both men and women can deliberate whether it's an investment they are willing to make. Don’t you think?

What are your thoughts on the disturbing occurrence in Noida? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section or write to us on our social media handles. Look forward to hearing from you! For more such stories, stay tuned!