GWALIOR: A 21-year-old newlywed woman allegedly died by suicide in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior district, with her family accusing her in-laws of harassment over dowry demands and alleging that she was murdered, police said on Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Palak Rajak, a resident of Suraiya Pura under the Morar police station limits in Gwalior.
She had married on April 14, 2025 and allegedly died by hanging at her in-laws’ residence on May 12, according to news agency ANI.
City superintendent of Police Atul Kumar Soni said Palak was initially taken to Morar Hospital after the incident.
At the request of her family members, she was later shifted to Birla Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. A post-mortem examination was conducted thereafter.
"This incident occurred on May 12, and upon receiving the information, police teams were immediately dispatched to the scene. The woman was initially admitted to Morar Hospital; however, her family requested that she be transferred to Birla Hospital, where she was subsequently declared dead. A post-mortem of the body was conducted thereafter," said SP Soni.
“Based on the statements provided by the deceased's family members, allegations have surfaced accusing her in-laws of constantly demanding a vehicle, withholding her 'Stridhan' and subjecting her to continuous harassment through taunts," he said.
According to news agency ANI, the officer said a case would be registered against the in-laws.
"A case will be registered against the in-laws based on the MLC report, the recorded statements, and the evidence collected from the crime scene," he said.
SP Soni said the woman’s family alleged that her in-laws began taunting her and demanding a vehicle within a few months of the marriage, causing her severe distress.
"The marriage took place one year ago, and it is alleged that within just 3-4 months of the wedding, the in-laws began taunting the deceased and demanding a vehicle--behaviour that caused her significant distress and which she frequently discussed with her own family members. Action will be taken accordingly," he said.
"The matter is currently under preliminary investigation; once the reports are received, a formal case will be registered--incorporating the relevant legal sections--based on the statements provided by the family members," he added.
Palak’s father, Mohar Singh, alleged that his daughter was repeatedly harassed by her in-laws over dowry demands.
"My daughter told me that her in-laws were demanding a car. I would speak to them repeatedly, but after a few days, they would revert to their old ways--physically abusing her and subjecting her to taunts," he said.
"The police have stated that they are conducting an investigation. The strictest possible action must be taken against them, as something like this should never happen to anyone else's daughter again. Her father-in-law is a government employee," he added.
The incident comes amid a rise in reported cases of dowry-related harassment involving newly married women.
In another incident, a 33-year-old Twisha Sharma, who had married a resident of Bhopal in December 2025, allegedly died by suicide on May 12.
Her family alleged mental torture and dowry harassment by her in-laws.
Police registered a case against her husband and mother-in-law and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter.
In another case, a young woman named Deepika died under suspicious circumstances after allegedly falling from the rooftop of her in-laws’ house in Greater Noida’s Jalpura village, nearly one-and-a-half years after her marriage.
Police arrested her husband and father-in-law after her family alleged sustained harassment over dowry demands.
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