Ashes of greed dowry deaths in modern India

By Priyanshu 

When Love Turns into Ashes: The Unending Horror of Dowry Deaths in India

In Greater Noida, a young bride’s life was brutally cut short. Despite her family gifting a Scorpio SUV, her in-laws demanded ₹36 lakh more. When greed overshadowed humanity, she was tortured and set ablaze. Her husband has been arrested, but justice can never bring back the light that was stolen from her eyes.

This case is not an exception. It is a reflection of a deeply ingrained social evil that continues to thrive in the shadows of modern India.

A Tale Repeated Too Often

The numbers are Increasing day by day. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India reports over 6,500 dowry-related deaths every year, that’s nearly 18 women every day. Behind each number lies a daughter, a sister, a friend, reduced to a tragic headline.

Just recently, in Delhi, another woman’s life was lost when in-laws allegedly pushed her off a balcony for “failing to bring enough dowry.” Cases like these expose a society where a woman’s worth is still measured not by her dreams but by the “price” her family can pay.

From the Capital to the Villages – No One is Safe

As the article “From the Chief Minister to the Common Woman” highlighted, even powerful women face violence and harassment in Delhi. If a Chief Minister is not safe in her own city, how can ordinary women trapped in homes with abusive in-laws ever feel secure?

For many brides, the home that should symbolize love and safety becomes a cage of cruelty. Their laughter is silenced, their dreams reduced to ashes, and their dignity traded for material greed.

 The Silent Cry of Women

Every WhatsApp “Reached Home” tick, every mother’s worried glance at the clock, every young bride’s hesitant smile hides the same silent prayer “Let me survive.”

Dowry deaths are not just crimes of greed; they are murders of trust, love, and humanity itself.

 The Road Ahead

• Stronger Laws, Faster Justice: India has strict dowry prohibition laws, yet delays in justice embolden offenders. Fast-track courts are essential.
• Social Awakening: Dowry is not just a legal issue; it’s a cultural wound. Families must reject it in all forms.
• Support Systems: Safe shelters, women’s helplines, and mental health support need strengthening so that women can escape abusive homes before it’s too late.

 Her Story Must Not Fade

The woman in Greater Noida will never return, but her story must not fade into yet another statistic. Each of us has a role to play by refusing dowry, by raising our voices, by teaching the next generation that a woman is not a commodity but a companion, not a liability but a life.

Until then, the question remains haunting:
How many more daughters must burn before we extinguish the fire of dowry forever?