The death of a 33-year-old woman in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal has sparked outrage across the country, with the case drawing attention not only for allegations of dowry-related harassment and abuse, but also for a series of controversial statements made by her mother-in-law, a retired judge, after the incident.
The woman, a former beauty pageant winner and MBA graduate from Noida, married a Bhopal-based lawyer in December 2025. On May 12, she was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Katara Hills area of Bhopal. Her family alleged that she was subjected to psychological torture, harassment and abuse by her husband and in-laws.
The police later registered an FIR against the husband and his mother-in-law on charges related to dowry harassment and abetment to suicide. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the case. The husband is still absconding, a watch circular has been issued against him and a sum of RsA reward of 10,000 pounds will be given to anyone who provides information leading to his arrest. $A reward of 10,000 pounds for anyone who provides information leading to his arrest.
What the investigation has found so far
According to the police, the woman died due to “pre-mortem hanging from a leash,” as stated in the autopsy report. However, the multiple injuries on her body raised questions from her family, who claimed foul play and requested a second post-mortem examination.
Bhopal Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar has publicly stated that the investigation so far points to suicide and not murder. He also said that no evidence of drug abuse was found in the autopsy report, which contradicted the claims later made by her mother-in-law.
The investigation has also come under scrutiny due to allegations that the belt allegedly used in the hanging was not produced during the examination of the body. Investigators are also examining surveillance footage from the residence.
Read also- ‘Psychological drug addict’ vs. ‘harassment’ charge: Bhopal woman’s death and the ugly blame game
“Ladkiyan jhol jaati hai…”
One of the most criticized statements came when the retired judge said in a media interaction: “Ladkiyaan jhool jaati hai, ladke nahi jhool paate, they are being treated like criminals” (Girls end up hanging themselves, while boys cannot; they are treated like criminals).
The statement, made while discussing dowry death cases, sparked outrage online, with many accusing her of portraying men as victims while appearing to downplay the allegations made by the woman’s family.
Claims about mental health
In several interviews, her mother-in-law claimed that the woman had psychological problems and was undergoing treatment before her death.
She claimed in an interview that she “was schizophrenic”, and also described her as a “troubled person” who needed constant monitoring.
She further claimed that the woman became emotionally unstable after learning of her pregnancy.
According to the retired judge, the woman was saying: “You can’t control me.” She also claimed that she once found her “physically hitting herself” after learning she was pregnant.
Read also- ‘Using marijuana during pregnancy’: Mother-in-law’s explosive claims in Bhopal dowry death case
Allegations of self-harm and miscarriage
Her mother-in-law claimed that the woman did not want to continue her pregnancy and took steps to terminate it.
“She wanted to reverse the abortion later,” the retired judge reportedly claimed in an interview.
She also alleged that the woman physically harmed herself during emotional breakdowns. The deceased woman’s family strongly denied these allegations and confirmed that she was facing severe psychological harassment in the marital home.
Allegations of marijuana and drug use
In another controversial statement, the retired judge alleged that the woman consumed marijuana while pregnant.
She claimed she “terminated her pregnancy after consuming a large amount of marijuana,” and also claimed the woman admitted to using drugs.
However, the Bhopal Police Commissioner later said that no evidence of drug abuse has been found in the autopsy report or investigation so far.
“Pushed into the world of magic” statements.
Her mother-in-law also accused the woman’s parents of pushing her into the magic industry at an early age.
She claimed that her “father pushed her into the world of magic”, while also claiming that the family was financially dependent on the woman and later “disowned” her.
The family rejected the accusations and accused her husband’s family of trying to tarnish her image after death.
Notes on agarbatti, puja, cooking and watering plants
Among the statements that also sparked criticism were statements about women’s daily behavior and domestic habits inside the home.
In interviews, the retired judge claimed that the woman would refuse to participate in domestic rituals and said that she “did not even light an agarbatti during the puja.”
She also reportedly made comments about the woman’s cooking and alleged lack of interest in domestic responsibilities, claiming that she was not properly involved in routine household activities.
The retired judge also complained that the woman was “forgetting to water the plants,” comments that many on social media described as irrelevant and insensitive in the context of the ongoing investigation into the foal’s death.
Many users criticized the comments as attempts to judge or shame the deceased woman’s lifestyle, personality and domestic habits rather than address the allegations being investigated by police.
Public statements during the ongoing investigation are sparking backlash
Women’s rights activists and legal commentators criticized the public nature of the statements made by the accused’s family while the investigation is still ongoing.
Critics argue that public discussion of unverified allegations about women’s mental health, pregnancy, personal lives and alleged drug use threatens to sway public perception before the Special Investigation Commission completes its investigations.
Many X users also accused the family of “victim blaming” and trying to demonize the deceased woman after her death. Many described the statements about cooking, pujas, agarbatti and watering plants as “misogynistic” and “tone deaf” and irrelevant to the investigation.
Priyanka Chaturvedi, former Rajya Sabha MP, wrote in a post on X: “Her mother-in-law, herself an accused, repeatedly speaks to the media to defame her deceased daughter-in-law, which is a deliberate attempt to spoil the case, yet the MP government and the police allow her to speak in a subjugated case, she is an accused and her son is on the run. Shame on the Madhya Pradesh government – so far the accused has described her as ‘schizophrenic, drug addict, spends nights out, and her parents They use it to make money. Just a reminder that Madhya Pradesh continues to be one of the states with the highest rates of reported crimes against women in India.
Some users questioned why women’s domestic habits were so publicly scrutinized in a case involving allegations of dowry harassment and incitement to suicide, while others said the comments reflected social pressures often placed on married women within marital homes.
