'Give daughters pistols, not gold in kanyadaan': UP mahapanchayat after Noida 'dowry killing'; elders say jewellery 'useless', call weapons vital

BAREILLY: In the wake of the outrage over a dowry-related murder in Greater Noida, a ‘mahapanchayat' held in Baghpat has urged parents to gift pistols, daggers and swords to their daughters during ‘kanyadaan', instead of the traditional dowry of gold, silver and cash. A video of Sunday's event surfaced on Tuesday, prompting police to launch an inquiry.Also Read | Untangling The Truth: Why Noida Dowry Case Has Police Cross-Checking Every ClueThe gathering, called ‘Kesariya mahapanchayat', took place at Gauripur Mitli village in Baghpat and was attended largely by members of the Rajput community. The speakers said the call for weapons stemmed from concerns over the growing risk of violence faced by women after marriage, and the ineffectiveness of conventional dowries in offering protection.Addressing the gathering, Thakur Kunwar Ajay Pratap Singh, president of All India Kshatriya Mahasabha, said, "We usually give gold to our daughters during ‘kanyadaan', which is of no use to them. They wear the jewellery to the market and elsewhere, and thieves then loot it or they risk facing other crimes. Instead, give them a dagger, pistol or sword to prevent them from any criminal activity." Singh added that, given the changing social environment, weapons were necessary for self-defence, even if they were not a complete solution.Also Read | Noida dowry murder case: Father of Nikki Bhati makes shocking claim - 'didn't even let her put up a signboard'Resident Brijendra Singh, who attended the event, said, "Earlier, self-defence measures were adopted by brave women like Rani Lakshmibai, but in our present times, this was stopped due to fear of police. Speakers at the gathering believed that weapons were necessary for self-defence, although this is not an absolute solution, but only a measure."Baghpat SP Suraj Rai told TOI on Tuesday, "We came to know about the incident via social media. An inquiry has been assigned to a circle officer to ascertain the facts and strict action will follow once the details are established."Also Read | Noida dowry case: CCTV 'shows husband outside house' at time of deathThe event came days after a 28-year-old woman was allegedly beaten and burnt alive by her husband and mother-in-law in Greater Noida over a dowry demand. The case drew widespread attention and reignited national discussions over the persistence of dowry-related violence and harassment faced by women in their marital homes.