Father Claims Daughter Was Repeatedly Assaulted Over Dowry; Police Await Postmortem and Forensic Reports
Balrampur: The body of a newly married woman was recovered from a pond in the Sanawal police station area of Balrampur district, Chhattisgarh, prompting a police investigation. The woman’s marital home is located a short distance from the spot where her body was found.
Police conducted the necessary proceedings at the scene and sent the body for postmortem examination. A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) also visited the spot and collected evidence.
Police officials have said that the exact cause of death will become clear only after the postmortem and forensic reports are received. Further action will be taken on the basis of the investigation and available evidence.
Father Alleges Repeated Dowry Harassment
The deceased woman’s father, who was present outside the postmortem room, broke down while speaking about his daughter.
He alleged that his daughter had been beaten by her husband on at least two earlier occasions and was being repeatedly harassed over dowry.
According to the father, her in-laws had allegedly demanded items including a refrigerator and washing machine as dowry. He claimed that the family was planning to provide a washing machine around Dussehra or Diwali, but the woman died before that could happen.
The father has also expressed suspicion that his daughter’s husband may have killed her and thrown her body into the pond. However, this allegation has not been established, and police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.
“Her husband had assaulted my daughter twice earlier. They were demanding a refrigerator and washing machine as dowry. We did not have the money at the time and were planning to give them by Diwali,” the woman’s father, Ganga Yadav, alleged.
Three-Member Medical Team Conducts Postmortem
The postmortem examination of the deceased, identified as Sangeeta Yadav, was conducted by a team of three doctors.
A doctor associated with the postmortem team at Ramanujganj Government Hospital said the final report would be prepared after the forensic findings are received.
The authorities are expected to examine the postmortem findings along with other evidence collected during the investigation.
Police Register Unnatural Death Case
Sanawal Police Station in-charge Brijlal Bhardwaj said that a marg (unnatural death case) has been registered.
After the postmortem, the body was handed over to the family for the last rites. Police are investigating the matter from all possible angles.
The officer said further action would be taken after considering the postmortem report, forensic findings and other evidence collected during the investigation.
Previous Dowry-Related Cases in Chhattisgarh
Dowry-related deaths and allegations of harassment have surfaced in different parts of Chhattisgarh in recent years.
- May 5, 2026: The body of a married woman was recovered from a well in GPM. Police arrested her husband in connection with allegations of dowry death.
- March 26, 2023: Following the death of a newlywed woman in Bhilai, Chhawani Police registered a case against members of her in-laws’ family. Her husband, parents-in-law and brother-in-law and sister-in-law were arrested, according to the report.
- August 19, 2019: A newly married woman died by suicide in Nawadih Pali village of the Takhatpur Assembly constituency. Her family accused her in-laws of killing her over dowry and staging the death as suicide.
Postmortem Report Crucial to Investigation
The recovery of the woman’s body from the pond and the allegations made by her family have raised questions about the circumstances of her death. However, police have not yet established whether the death was accidental, suicidal or resulted from a criminal act.
The postmortem and forensic reports, along with witness statements and other evidence, will be crucial in determining what happened and whether any criminal action is warranted.
