UP woman alleges dowry harassment during pregnancy led to stillborn twin; 6 booked

Bhadohi (UP), Jan 21 (PTI) A woman here has alleged that physical abuse by her husband and in-laws over dowry demands during her pregnancy, including being kicked in the abdomen, resulted in one of her twins being stillborn, officials said.

Acting on the complaint filed by 19-year-old Rubina Bano, a resident of Civil Lines area here, police on Tuesday booked her husband and five members of his family.

Inspector Sachchidanand Pandey said Rubina was married to Salman Shah, 24, a resident of the Chilh area in neighbouring Mirzapur district, in May 2024.

"Soon after the marriage, her husband Salman, father-in-law Vakil Shah, sister-in-law Naseeba, and relatives Suhail, Munna and Sartaj allegedly began harassing her, claiming that the dowry brought was insufficient," Pandey said.

He said the accused were demanding Rs 1 lakh in cash and a 'Bullet' motorcycle.

According to the complaint, after Bano became pregnant and refused to meet the demands, her in-laws allegedly confined her to a room on several occasions and subjected her to physical assault.

Pandey said on May 21, 2025, the accused allegedly locked Bano in a room, beat her severely and kicked her in the abdomen, following which her condition deteriorated. Her father was informed, and she was sent to her parental home in Bhadohi.

Bano delivered twins on May 29, but one of the babies was stillborn, while her life and that of the other child were saved after medical treatment, the inspector said.

He said Bano met Superintendent of Police Abhimanyu Manglik on Tuesday and submitted a written complaint, following which an FIR was registered late in the evening.

Police have booked the six accused under Sections 85 (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 351 (criminal intimidation), 352 (insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 115 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, and further legal proceedings are underway, Pandey added. PTI COR KIS RHL