A Study of Epidemiological Profile of Dowry Death Victims in Aligarh

Background: Dowry death is considered as one of the categories of most heinous crime in all the societies against the women in India. It is one of the important causes for the abetment of suicide and murder Methods: This retrospective study was done by Department of Forensic Medicine, J.N Medical College & Hospital in collaboration with district mortuary Aligarh during the period of 2 years from 1st January 2014 to 31st December 2015. Results: Amongst Out of 1015 female victims, 415 females died within 7 years of marriage unrelated to dowry and 52 victims died in relation or with demand due to the dowry. Most of the deaths occurred in the age group 18-25 years (65.53%). Maximum number of death occurred within first 3 years of marriage in 37 (71.15%) cases. Majority of married female victims were Hindu 39 (75.00%) and used to live in the rural areas (69.23%) belonging to joint family 32 (61.53%). Burn was leading cause of death in 18(34.62%) cases followed by hanging 16 (30.77%). So the strict laws and proper investigation is the need of hour to save our sisters and daughter from the devil of Dowry.

Dowry Death and Law - Indian Scenario.

Dowry death is a burning issue of the Indian society since years. The unnatural death of newly married young woman due to dowry is routine headline of every newspaper Protection of young married women against harassment and cruelty on account of dowry is responsibility of government. Ban of giving and taking dowry - the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, is the one which is most commonly challenged since its commencement all over the country. To deal with this section 304 - - B (Dowry deaths) and 498 - A (Cruelty by husband or in-laws) were incorporated in the Indian Penal code in the mid 1980's. Improvement of educational status of females by educational cum awareness programs along with severe punishments to offenders will be helpful to deal with this social Curse.

Original research paper an autopsy study of socio-etiological aspects in dowry death cases.

Violence affects lives of millions of woman worldwide, in all societies, one of the most heinous and shocking forms among them is DOWRY DEATH, is one among the various reasons for suicidal (i.e. abetted suicide) and homicidal deaths of women in India, other being marital infidelity, sexual jealousy etc. This study done at Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Hospital, Bangalore South, was conducted during the period July 2006 to January 2008, aims and objectives were to know the magnitude, socio etiologic profile and methods used for committing suicide/homicide, and various other factors affecting the alarming rise in incidence of dowry death and also to lend valuable suggestion to concerned authorities to prevent this heinous social evil of our society. Most of the victims were aged between 18 to 25 years of age, maximum of the victims died within three years of married life, most commonly between 1 to 2 years of married life. Hanging is the most common method used for dowry deaths.

Bride burning: a heinous crime.

“Dowry” is defined as meaning money, or other thing estimated in terms of money, demanded from the wife or her parents or her relatives by the husband or his parents or other relatives, where such a demand is not properly referable to any legally recognized claim and is relatable only to the wife’s having married into the husband’s family. Dowry death, a heinous crime is gradually engulfing and polluting the entire society. Newly married young women are the victims who adopted the way of suicide to end their lives by burning, hanging, poisoning or drowning. A 23 years old married female had died in her kitchen under suspicious circumstances within one year of her marriage life by burning with some inflammable material on dated 22/12/2009. The post-mortem examination revealed that death was due to asphyxia as a result of pressure over neck. 98% of dermo-epidermal burn present over body was post mortem in nature. Manner of death was homicidal. A medico legal aspect of the case is discussed in this article.

Study of crime against women: Role of forensic medicine.

Due to rise in crowds naturally there is fall in cultural values and escalation in crimes. Crime against women is on the rise especially sexual crimes. Though crime is prevalent in every country and society, most of them either goes undetected or unreported. As per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), New Delhi, a crime take place every 17 seconds, among them one dowry death every 77 minutes, one crime against women every 3 minutes and finally one rape or sexual assault every 27 minutes. With above crime scenario, Forensic Medicine plays an important role in helping to prevent, early detection, providing expert medicolegal and scientific reports at earliest, which will result in quick trial and instant administration of justice to victims. Due to lack of legal or medicolegal and scientific awareness and knowledge among victims, investigating agencies, medical and paramedical staff, the end result is either ‘justice hurried is justice buried’ or ‘justice delayed is justice denied’ to the victim. There is need to give importance to Forensic Nursing, impart medicolegal knowledge to paramedical and health workers in rural and semi-urban levels as to how to handle case of crimes committed against women and report them. One accused acquitted means breeding of hundred criminals. Prevention and detection is better than conviction.