Dowry's New Packaging: Experts On How Mindset Still Persists

The recent deaths of two young married women in separate cities, Twisha in Bhopal and Deepika in Noida, have reignited national concern over persistent dowry-related harassment as well as domestic violence across India, raising uncomfortable questions about why such cases continue to emerge despite rising education levels, urbanisation, and increasingly modern forms of marriage. 

Though geographically apart, both cases, as details emerge, share striking similarities, with families alleging sustained harassment linked to dowry demands as well as mental agony in marital homes in the period leading up to the women's deaths.

Authorities in both cases have emphasised that investigations remain ongoing and that conclusions will depend on evidence established during the legal process. Yet the parallel tragedies have renewed a larger national conversation: whether dowry deaths are truly returning, or whether they never disappeared, continuing instead beneath the veil of modern marriage.

Two Cases, Similar Allegations

In Bhopal, Twisha's death is being investigated after her parents accused her husband and in-laws of repeated harassment linked to dowry demands after marriage, along with mental cruelty and domestic discord. She had reportedly met her husband, from a well-known family with legal background, on a dating platform.

Police have registered a case under relevant provisions relating to cruelty by husband or relatives and dowry death. Investigators are examining medical and forensic evidence while recording witness statements. Her in-laws, meanwhile, have made separate allegations against her, including claims relating to substance use.

In Noida, Deepika was found dead at her matrimonial home. Her family has alleged sustained harassment and intimidation over dowry demands. Among the allegations made by her family are demands for a Fortuner SUV and an additional Rs 51 lakh.

Police have initiated proceedings under relevant provisions related to dowry death and domestic cruelty, stating that forensic findings and witness testimonies will determine whether criminal liability arises.

Has Dowry Changed Its Form?

The two deaths, occurring in urban, educated settings where marriages increasingly involve background checks, social media visibility and elaborate pre-wedding negotiations, have prompted debate about whether modernity has transformed marriages or merely repackaged older expectations.

Urban marriages today often involve detailed scrutiny of education, income, profession, family background and even social media presence. Yet experts say financial expectations surrounding marriage frequently remain embedded in socially acceptable language.

Sociologist and activist Ranjana Kumari said dowry remains deeply entrenched despite changing social realities. “In large parts of rural India, there is still no question of not giving dowry,” she said.

According to her, urban families often continue similar practices through indirect financial pressure. “Even in urban and middle-class families, there is arm-twisting over where the wedding will be held, who will pay the cost, and how many days it will continue. Directly or indirectly, the expenses are pushed onto the girl's family,” she added.

She said the burden often continues after marriage. “The costs do not end with the wedding. Monetary expectations continue even after marriage.”

Addressing the debate around alleged misuse of dowry laws, Kumari said such arguments cannot overshadow continuing abuse and deaths linked to dowry. “Some say dowry laws are misused. But even if one girl is dying because of dowry, that is a harsh reality we cannot ignore,” she said. Referring to allegations levelled against Twisha after her death, Kumari said victim-blaming remains deeply entrenched in India. “Victim-blaming is a practice here, and the entire system is biased against women,” she said.

She also argued that affluent families often reinforce the system by normalising extravagant dowry-linked practices. “For the rich, nobody questions these practices. They set the standards for society, and that strengthens the system further,” she said.

‘The Vocabulary Has Changed'

Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa said the two cases reflect a familiar contradiction in modern India. “Dowry in India has not disappeared; it has merely changed its language and presentation,” he said

“Earlier, dowry demands were often direct and explicit. Today, they are frequently disguised as discussions around ‘status', ‘lifestyle expectations', ‘financial compatibility', ‘wedding standards', ‘gifts' or ‘social matching'. The vocabulary has changed, but the mindset in many cases has not,” he added.

He said the cases are particularly troubling because they emerge from socially privileged settings where greater equality might be expected. According to the senior advocate, there is an increasing normalisation of financial negotiations around marriage, often framed in socially acceptable language. Families may avoid openly calling it dowry, he said, but indirect expectations linked to cash, property, luxury spending, cars, housing arrangements or continuing financial support continue to persist.

Pahwa also pointed to what he described as a contradiction in contemporary arranged marriages. “Today, marriages undergo extensive scrutiny -- education, profession, income, family background, social media presence and lifestyle habits are all examined carefully. Yet basic human compatibility, emotional maturity and mutual respect are often overlooked,” he said.

“A marriage cannot become a commercial alliance dressed up as social prestige," he added.

While noting that laws against dowry already exist, the senior advocate said social conditioning remains far more powerful. “Unless society stops treating marriage as a transaction and starts treating women as equal individuals rather than financial contributors to status, such incidents will continue to haunt us,” he said.

He said the deaths of Twisha and Deepika should not be viewed merely as isolated criminal cases. “These cases are reminders that modernity in appearance does not necessarily mean progress in mindset,” he said.