Socio-Etiological Aspects of Alleged Dowry Deaths-A Medicolegal Analysis Rahman Nisreen Abdul1,*, Sukumar Sanjay2, Shaha Kusa Kumar3 1Assistant Professor, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, KMCT Medical College, Manassery, Kozhikode, Kerala, India 2Associate Professor, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India 3Additional Professor & Head, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India *Corresponding author: Nisreen Abdul Rahman, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, KMCT Medical College, Manassery, Kozhikode, Kerala, India. PO: 673602, Email Id: nisrali2@gmail.com
Online published on 7 May, 2019. Abstract Violence against female was there since ancient times, which include dowry harassment and domestic violence. Dowry is the transfer of any kind or cash from bride's family to bridegroom or his family voluntarily, but as time passed, the voluntary element decreased and forcible element came up. The system of dowry is now commonly practiced in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal etc. The idea of present study came from the light of increasing number of dowry deaths and low level of reporting in the society. The aim of the study was to sort out various socio-etiological factors of alleged dowry deaths in and around Puducherry. Out of 65 cases, mean age was 24 years and 56.91% cases occurred within three years of marriage. Most of the cases happened in a rural area (90.8%), in those who are living in a joint family (63.1%), and in low-income family (70.8%). Majority of them were housewives, studied up to high school standard (8th to 10th), and having one child. We observed that of most of them died to burns (73.84%), followed by poisoning (18.46%). Commonest manner of death was suicidal. Quarrel with spouse or in-laws were the most common reason or motive behind the death. Top Keywords Dowry deaths, Female harassment, Suicides, Burns, Socio-etiological. Top |