New Delhi: Cases registered under dowry-related crimes rose by 14 per cent in 2023, with more than 15,000 instances recorded nationwide and over 6,100 deaths linked to dowry disputes, according to the latest Crime in India 2023 report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The report noted that 15,489 cases were filed under the Dowry Prohibition Act last year, compared with 13,479 in 2022 and 13,568 in 2021. Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of cases at 7,151, followed by Bihar with 3,665 and Karnataka with 2,322. At the same time, 13 states and Union Territories, including West Bengal, Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Sikkim, reported no dowry cases.
Dowry-related deaths remained a significant concern, with 6,156 fatalities documented in 2023. Uttar Pradesh accounted for 2,122 of these deaths, while Bihar reported 1,143. The report also revealed that dowry was identified as the motive in 833 murder cases across the country during the year.
Under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 83,327 cases were up for trial in 2023, of which 69,434 were pending from earlier years. Police made 27,154 arrests under the Act, including 22,316 men and 4,838 women.