Lucknow, June 1 (IANS) The death of a young social media influencer at her matrimonial home in Lucknow has triggered allegations of dowry harassment and murder, with her family accusing her husband and several members of his family of orchestrating the crime and attempting to pass it off as a suicide.

The deceased, Mansi, originally from Kanpur, had married Sagar Rajput in 2024. According to the First Information Report (FIR), both Mansi and her husband were active on social media platforms, with Rajput reportedly having a substantial online following.

According to the NDTV, family members of the deceased alleged that a significant amount of cash, along with household items and gifts, was provided during the marriage. However, they claim that the groom’s family remained dissatisfied and continued to press for additional dowry, including the demand for a car.

According to the complaint filed with the police, Mansi was allegedly subjected to repeated taunts and humiliation over the dowry issue soon after her marriage. Her relatives further claimed that she faced both emotional and physical harassment when the demands were not fulfilled.

The family stated that Mansi had informed them on multiple occasions about the difficulties she was facing at her in-laws’ residence. In response, relatives reportedly travelled to Lucknow several times in an effort to resolve the dispute and restore peace between the two families.

The situation took a tragic turn on Saturday when Mansi’s family received information about her death. While the incident was initially reported as a case of suicide, her relatives strongly disputed that version of events, alleging that she was murdered and her body was later staged to resemble a suicide.

Based on a written complaint submitted by the victim’s family, police have registered a dowry death case against six members of her husband’s family. Those named in the FIR include husband Sagar Rajput, father-in-law Rajesh, brother-in-law Anu, sisters-in-law Barkha and Chandni, and a paternal aunt-in-law identified as Asha.

Police officials said that Rajput is currently being questioned, while further investigation is underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the death.

The case has once again drawn attention to the persistent issue of dowry-related violence in the country.

According to data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India recorded 5,737 dowry deaths in 2024, averaging nearly 16 such deaths every day.

Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of cases, with 2,038 dowry-related deaths during the year, followed by Bihar with 1,078 cases.

Other states reporting significant numbers included Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and West Bengal.

The figures continue to highlight the challenges faced in curbing dowry-related crimes despite existing legal safeguards.

–IANS

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