MP Horror: Husband Burns Wife With Hot Knife Over Dowry Demand

Madhya Pradesh: A shocking incident has come to light from Khargone district in Madhya Pradesh, where a newly married woman has accused her husband of burning her with a hot knife in a drunken state.

The victim, Khushboo, a resident of Avarakach village, got married to Dilip Pipaliya, from Barwani district, on February 2, 2025. She told the media that her husband not only disliked her but also regularly harassed her, beating her and demanding a dowry since the marriage. 

On Sunday night, things turned even more horrific. According to Khushboo, her husband, in a drunken state, heated a knife on the gas stove and pressed it against her body, burning her all over. She also alleged that he assaulted her even after the brutal act. 

Upon hearing about this brutal act, Khushboo’s brother rushed to bring her back to her maternal home after learning about the incident. She was then taken to the Khargone Maingaon police station and later admitted to the district hospital for treatment. 

Police officials, including a woman ASI from Jaitapur police station, have started recording her statement and initiated an investigation. Her father further claimed that ever since the marriage, Dilip had been beating his daughter and repeatedly demanding dowry. At present, Khushboo is undergoing treatment at the district hospital, while police have begun further inquiry into the matter.

Dowry Death in Recent Weeks 

In the past few weeks, India has witnessed a disturbing rise in dowry-related deaths, with heart-wrenching cases emerging from different states. Recently in Jodhpur, where a government school lecturer, Sanju Bishnoi (32), set herself and her three-year-old daughter, Yashasvi, on fire. The child died at the scene, while Sanju succumbed to her injuries the following morning.

Police later recovered a suicide note in which Sanju accused her husband and in-laws of constant harassment for dowry. 

Another horrific case unfolded in Greater Noida, where Nikki, married since 2016, was allegedly set ablaze with petrol by her husband, Vipin Bhati, and her mother-in-law. Nikki had faced years of harassment, with her husband reportedly addicted to alcohol and involved in an extramarital affair. Nikki’s six-year-old son described the chilling scene to the media: “Meri mumma ke upar kuch dala, fir unko chanta mara, fir lighter se aag laga di.” Her sister Kanchan, who is also married into the same family, claimed that despite giving a Scorpio car and valuables at the time of marriage, Nikki’s in-laws continued to demand ₹36 lakh in dowry.

These are not isolated cases. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India recorded 6,516 dowry deaths in 2022. Shockingly, this number is more than 25 times higher than the number of women killed after rape or gang rape in the same year. Between 2017 and 2022, an average of 7,000 dowry deaths were reported every year across the country, showing that despite stricter laws and awareness campaigns, dowry-related violence continues to claim thousands of lives annually.

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