18-Year-Old Allegedly Forced To Strip Naked In Front Of Father-In-Law Over Dowry; Kills Self

An 18-year-old woman killed herself in India after she was allegedly harassed for dowry and forced to strip naked in front of her father-in-law.

The incident took place in the western state of Rajasthan. The woman consumed poison to end the continuous torture at the hands of her in-laws. Before dying, the woman recorded herself narrating her plight, and posted the video on social media, which has since gone viral, News 18 reported.

In the video posted online, the woman, identified only as Priya, accused her in-laws of severe physical torture. She also said she was forced to strip naked in front of her father-in-law.

The victim's father filed a police complaint following her death, and named nine people in the report. He also accused his son-in-law of abetting his daughter's suicide.

Police officer Sunil Choudhary told local media the victim's father said Priya got married to Mukesh Sansi on April 26. After 20 days of marriage, her in-laws started harassing her for dowry and even beat her up.

Priya came to stay with her parents for a while, but recently returned to her husband's house. On July 20, Priya’s in-laws assaulted her, and two days later, she consumed poison in her bedroom. She was rushed to a hospital for treatment but was declared dead at the facility, Naya India reported [Google Translate showed].

The police revealed details about the case Monday, saying they have launched an investigation. It remains unclear if those named in the police complaint have been arrested.

Taking or giving dowry has long been prohibited under specific Indian laws including the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961. However, the age-old practice is still followed in several parts of the country. The National Crime Bureau of India, as recently as 2017, recorded nearly 7,000 dowry-related deaths a year. At least 20 women are either murdered or forced to kill themselves every day as a result of harassment over dowry, the report said.

Earlier this month, a 23-year-old woman from Rajasthan was allegedly raped on separate occasions by different men in the presence of her husband as she could not satisfy her in-laws' dowry demands.