Bihar: Daughters of Bihar are falling victim to the greed of dowry seekers, 23 murders in one year in Gopalganj alone

Despite continuous campaign for eradication of dowry at the government level, the incidents of dowry sting in Gopalganj, Bihar do not seem to be decreasing. The figures for the year 2023 are witness to this. Meanwhile, women became victims of harassment by their in-laws every day. At some places, attempts were made to kill the daughter-in-law by burning her for dowry, at other places she was murdered by poisoning her.
Police also did not seem to take prompt action in incidents of harassment of women. During the period from January to December, 210 women in the district were thrown out of their homes for dowry. Meanwhile, incidents of dowry deaths of 23 women took place. Report based on dowry harassment and murder in Gopalganj.
The sting of dowry is not decreasing
In the year 2019, the government started a campaign to ban dowry. The objective of this campaign has been to bring awareness among the common people. Every year, programs are being organized regarding this campaign to make people aware about prevention of child marriage and dowry harassment. Despite this, the sting of dowry does not seem to be reducing here.
Have to seek refuge in court for justice
If we look at the figures of dowry harassment this year, 88 criminal cases were registered in various police stations in the first ten months of the year 2023.
Apart from this, due to lack of action at the police level, 122 women filed a complaint in the court accusing their in-laws of harassing them for dowry.
If statistics are to be believed, so far this year, 23 women were sacrificed by their in-laws for dowry and 19 women were tried to be burnt to death by their in-laws.
245 cases registered for maintenance
The harassment of married women can be gauged from the fact that in the year 2023, 245 cases of maintenance were filed in the family court.
By filing a case, the women who were thrown out of their homes after being harassed, appealed to the court to grant them alimony from their husbands for their maintenance.
Hearts connected in mediation center
It is not that the cases filed regarding dowry harassment or harassment of women have not ended. During the year 2023, disputes between husband and wife were resolved through mediation center in 35 cases of harassment of women. After the dispute ended, the couple ended their grudges and agreed to live together.
Dozens of cases reported in women’s helpline
So far this year, dozens of cases of harassment of women have been reported in the women’s helpline. In most of these cases, the helpline made efforts to resolve the dispute by giving notice to the parties. Whereas some disputes could not be resolved in the helpline.