"Slapped Her, Set Her On Fire": Son On Mother's Murder Over Rs 36 Lakh Dowry In Noida
- Neha Kumari
- Aug 24
- 4 min read
Dowry deaths in India remain a ghost that haunts the society in 2025 decades past since the time it was criminalized. The latest sickening event in Noida has once again drawn attention to this black fact.
Dowry resulted in a woman being slapped, beaten and set on fire. The saddest part is that it was revealed in the report of her own little boy who had been an eyewitness to the crime.
This case sheds light not only on the inhumanity of dowry-related violence but also brings up awkward questions regarding the degree to which India has improved on eliminating this social vice.
The Case: Ugly Reality
The victim, a married woman living in Noida, had been harassed by her husband and his family on account of dowry. Reports say her family had already paid dowry of 36 lakh rupees out by the time of marriage.
But the greed did not end there like in many other cases. Demands persisted, arguments got worse and the atmosphere at home became hostile.
As police report, her son testified that his father slapped his mother severally before pouring kerosene on her body and lit her up.
It is a nightmare that happened at home so the poor kid is the worst witness to such a horrible scene. The mum suffered serious physical injuries, especially due to burns and died, leaving the child traumatized forever.
A Silent Epidemic of Dowry Deaths
Although India in cities seems very progressive and modern, the cases like that once again demonstrate the difference between the thoughts and the outcome.
Though Dowry is an offence under the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961, it still exists in many forms, be it out right demands of money, lavish gifts or property.
The number of dowry related deaths in India has been above 6,000 annually according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
That comes to close to 17 women murdered every day in dowry harassment. And such are only those cases that are officially reported. There are possibly far more, based on the social stigma, pressure, and silence of such events.
Even more tragic is the normalization of the given practice. Even highly-priced gifts, cars, money and even wealth are not considered as dowry by many families and families take it as a normal expectation. This normalization of culture sustains the cycle and drives many women into abusive and harmful marriages.
The Mental Cost
Along with the physical violence, there is a lot of psychological damage caused by the dowry harassment to the women. Violence frequently leads to depression, anxiety and helplessness.
They are induced to feel like they are a burden and they are consistently being told that they are not enough that their family has not given them enough. Most women are left without their sources of support and they are stuck in houses that speaking out would cost them their lives.
Children are as well victims of silence in such households. In the case of Noida, the small boy did not only lose the mother but also saw the cruel face of his father. Such experiences may change the rest of a childs life forever, creating wounds which will never heal.
Why the Laws Are Not Sufficient
India has good laws on paper:
Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals specifically with dowry deaths is as follows:
Section 498A IPC makes cruelty by husbands and in-laws a crime.
The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 is an act in which giving and taking of dowry are prohibited.
However, in spite of such legal protections, cases are increasing. Why? The implementation is rather low; cases are frequently investigated slowly; and convictions are low. The relatives of many victims have to compromise because of the fear of courts and public opinion.
The other significant problem is that dowry-related violence is oftentimes difficult to prove since it is either framed as an accident (eg, a kitchen fire) or as a suicide. Victims remain voiceless and this is by the time the truth breaks it is too late.
Ending the Cycle
The Noida tragedy can be prevented with laws, but India needs more than that and what it needs is a cultural change.
Stricter enforcement of Laws: Police and judiciary are to ensure a quickening up of dowry cases with no patience. Convictions must also be fast in order to make examples.
Social Awareness Campaigns: Society should be made aware of the harms of dowry and the virtue of equality in marriage, through schools to the work places.
Women need to be empowered financially: education and financial independence are the greatest remedy against dowry harassment. Females, who have economic power are less susceptible to coercion.
Community Support Systems: NGOs, local communities and women groups have to develop safe zones wherein the harassed victims are willing to complain without any fear.
Shifting Family Attitudes: Eradicating dowry will require the change of mindsets among the family members themselves- not just at the verbal level. The attitude of valuing their daughter in terms of monetary value has to come to a close.
Conclusion
It is not the only incident like a horrific murder in Noida; it is a reflection of a much more significant social issue. A woman was killed, a boy lost his mother and a family is ruined because of greed in the name of tradition.
Whenever there is a tragedy like this people are shocked as it makes the headlines. Outrage, though, will not put an end to this cycle.
It needs a concerted effort-on the part of families communities, law enforcement and the government. Women are not to be valued in rupees, gifts or dowry.
As India aims to rise in the world, they have to first eradicate these centuries old customs at home. The real progress that would be measured not by tall buildings or technology would be when none of the women lives in the fear of losing her life over the dowry.
📅 By News Anek Digital Desk | August 24, 2025
#StopDowryDeaths #JusticeForWomen #EndDowrySystem #WomenSafety #BreakTheSilence #DowryFreeIndia #JusticeForNoidaVictim
Comments