Woman’s body exhumed 33 days after burial in Samastipur; father alleges murder over dowry

Patna: The body of an 18-year-old woman was exhumed 33 days after her death from a grave at Haripur village under Singhia police station area of Samastipur district on Saturday evening, following allegations of murder over dowry demand by her family. The body was sent to Sadar hospital for post-mortem on Sunday, police said.

The deceased was identified as Rozeda Khatun (18), wife of Md Nemotullah of Haripur village. Her father, Md Shaukat Ali, a resident of Lilhol village, alleged that his daughter was killed by her in-laws over dowry and buried without informing her parents, while her death was initially projected as suicide.

Shaukat Ali said he married his daughter to Nemotullah on Oct 23, 2025. At the time of marriage, the groom’s family allegedly demanded Rs 2.5 lakh in cash and jewellery worth Rs 1 lakh. He claimed that he paid Rs 1.25 lakh in cash and jewellery worth Rs 1 lakh, with the remaining amount to be paid after Ramzan.

According to Shaukat, on March 9, 2026, during Ramzan, his daughter was taken to her matrimonial home by her husband and father-in-law, where demands for the pending amount allegedly resumed immediately.

He further said that on the night of March 14, he received a call from his son-in-law’s brother, informing him that Rozeda had died by suicide and asking him to come immediately. As he was unwell, he sent his son and other relatives, but they were unable to meet any member of the in-laws’ family. The body was buried without informing the woman’s parents.

Shaukat claimed that villagers later told him his daughter had been killed by electrocution. With their help, he obtained a video recorded two days after the incident, before the burial, which he alleged showed injury marks on the chest and a black mark around the neck.

He approached Singhia police station with his family on March 17, but the station house officer was not present. He then went to the Rosera SDPO office on March 21, but the officer was on leave. Shaukat also alleged that local panchayat representatives asked him to “settle the matter” instead of helping.

A police team exhumed the body from the Haripur graveyard on Saturday afternoon, and it was taken for post-mortem the same night.

Confirming the development, Rosera SDPO Sanjay Pandey said the body had been exhumed to ascertain the exact cause of death. “We are also investigating whether there were any lapses or negligence by the police. Strict action will be taken against any police personnel found guilty. Further action will depend on the post-mortem report and investigation findings,” he said.Get real-time updates and result insights on the CBSE 12 Result 2026.