A woman allegedly died by suicide in Assam’s Cachar district, with her family accusing her husband and in-laws of subjecting her to persistent physical and mental abuse over dowry demands.
The deceased, Khadija Begum Laskar, was a resident of Rangirghat Part-II under the Sonai constituency. She had married Piar Hussain Barbhuiya of Barjalenga in Narsingpur in August 2025, according to her family.
Family members alleged that Khadija’s husband and his relatives began demanding dowry a few months after the marriage and repeatedly harassed her when their demands were not met. They claimed that several attempts were made to resolve the dispute through community mediation, but the alleged abuse continued.
Khadija’s brother, Abdul Mumit Laskar, alleged that she had recently returned to her parental home due to the harassment. He further claimed that her husband continued to visit her there and allegedly pressured her over dowry.
On Monday, while her two brothers were away, Khadija allegedly jumped into a nearby pond. Local residents rescued her and rushed her to Silchar Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Her body has been sent for post-mortem examination.
The family has lodged a formal complaint with the police against her husband and members of his family, alleging that sustained dowry-related harassment drove her to take the extreme step.
Police have registered the complaint and launched an investigation. The allegations made by the family are yet to be independently verified, and no response has been issued by the accused so far.
