Nearly 16 women die daily in dowry-related incidents across India: Report
5,737 dowry deaths in 2024, with one woman dying every 90 minutes: NCRB report
New Delhi,: Amid persistent concerns over women’s safety, gender-based violence, and social inequality in India, official data has revealed a continued rise in dowry-related deaths, underscoring the vulnerable condition of women in the country.
According to Kashmir Media Service, India recorded 5,737 dowry deaths in 2024, meaning nearly 16 women died every day, or one death approximately every 90 minutes, due to dowry-related harassment, domestic violence, suicide, or other suspicious marital circumstances.
The alarming figures were disclosed in the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report titled Crime in India 2024, which highlights the continued prevalence of dowry-related crimes despite decades of legal restrictions and awareness campaigns.
The report further noted a rise in cases under the Dowry Prevention Act. A total of 15,489 cases were registered in 2023, marking a 14% increase from 13,479 cases in 2022. In addition, over 1.20 lakh cases of “cruelty by husbands and relatives” were reported across India in 2024, continuing a pattern that has remained above one lakh annually for more than a decade.
Among metropolitan cities, Delhi reported the highest number of dowry deaths for the fifth consecutive year, registering 109 recorded cases involving 111 deaths in 2024, with a dowry death rate of 1.4 per lakh population.
At the state level, Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of dowry deaths with 2,038 cases, accounting for more than one-third of the India’s total.
The data also included cases categorised as “dowry murders,” referring to incidents of direct fatal violence linked to dowry disputes. West Bengal recorded 163 such cases in 2024, followed closely by Odisha with 161.
Cases of cruelty by husbands and relatives also remained high across several states, reflecting the continued severity of domestic violence-related crimes.
The issue has recently drawn renewed attention following the deaths of Twisha Sharma and Deepika Nagar, both of whom died under suspicious circumstances shortly after marriage, with their families alleging harassment and abuse linked to dowry demands. Earlier this year, a woman SWAT commando was also killed by her husband over repeated dowry demands, further highlighting concerns over the persistence of dowry-related violence across different social and professional backgrounds in India.
