Often one comes across disturbing news about the death of a woman over dowry. The top court of the country has described the offence of dowry death as a crime against society and rightly so called for a strong message must be sent that a person who commits such an offence shall be dealt with an iron hand.
The Supreme Court said the legislative intent of incorporating Section 304 B (dowry death) of the Indian Penal Code was to curb the menace of dowry death with a firm hand.
Unfortunately the latest Data by NCRB against points out to the scourge. Across the country as many as 13,534 cases were registered in the country under the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 last year alone, a 25% rise compared to the cases registered in 2020 (10,046), the data revealed. This is despite the fact that there is a stigma associated with nature of the issue as women can be hesitant to report their experiences, they explained.
This is happening despite the fact the progress of any society depends on its ability to protect and promote the rights of its women.
Taken as a whole, J&K has recorded a 9.5 percent increase in cognizable offences and there has been a rise of 15 percent in crime cases against women, as per the report. In all, 6589 dowry-related deaths were reported in the country. A total of 6,966 cases of such deaths were reported in 2020 even as numbers stood at 7,141 in 2019 and 7,167 in 2018 respectively. In all, as many 10,366 cases were registered under the Dowry Prohibition Act in 2020 against 13,307 in 2019 and 12,826 cases in 2018.
In dealing with cases under Section 304 B, the Supreme Court underscored legislative intent to be kept in mind. Earlier the top Court observed that domestic violence in India is rampant and several women encounter violence in some form or the other or almost every day. A woman resigns her fate to the never ending cycle of enduring violence and discrimination as a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a partner or a single woman in her lifetime, the apex court noted. Many women, mostly young, become victims of domestic violence which refers to any abuse including physical, emotional, sexual, or financial between intimate partners, often living in the same household. The whole society should rise above the occasion and let the home be truly home for her.
Let’s be Kind to women
