Woman claims dowry harassment in pregnancy causes stillborn twin; 6 arrested

Badhohi, UP: A woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi district has alleged that sustained physical abuse over dowry demands during her pregnancy led to one of her twins being stillborn, police officials said.

The complainant, 19-year-old Rubina Bano of the Civil Lines area, accused her husband and in-laws of subjecting her to cruelty soon after her marriage to Salman Shah, 24, in May 2024. Shah is a resident of the Chilh area in neighbouring Mirzapur district.

Inspector Sachchidanand Pandey said Bano alleged that her husband, father-in-law Vakil Shah, sister-in-law Naseeba, and relatives Suhail, Munna and Sartaj repeatedly harassed her, claiming the dowry was inadequate. The accused allegedly demanded one lakh rupees in cash and a Bullet motorcycle.

According to the complaint, after Bano became pregnant and refused to meet the demands, she was confined to a room on several occasions and physically assaulted. On May 21, 2025, the accused allegedly locked her in a room, beat her severely and kicked her in the abdomen, following which her health deteriorated. Her father was informed and she was sent to her parental home in Bhadohi.

Bano delivered twins on May 29. One of the babies was stillborn, while doctors managed to save her life and that of the surviving child, the inspector said.

Bano later met Superintendent of Police Abhimanyu Manglik and submitted a written complaint. An FIR was registered late Tuesday evening.

Police have booked the six accused under Sections 85 (cruelty by husband or relatives), 351 (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult), and 115 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. Further legal proceedings are underway.