- By Surarika Das
- Sun, 10 May 2026 12:05 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Delhi has once again topped the list of dowry-related deaths as per the National Crime Records Bureau. The NCRB released its 2024 report, which revealed that the National Capital still remains as horrendous for the Indian women. According to the report, at least 109 incidents related to post-marriage dowry have been reported at the heart of the city, and 111 deaths were witnessed for the same.
The Numbers Remain High
The NCRB records reveal the stark reality where women, even after living in a metropolitan city, face the atrocities of an age-old patriarchal system in the name of tradition. The numbers also expose the minimal changes that had taken place over the years even as repeated legal frameworks have been established.
As per the released data, there is a decline in the reports of 2024 as compared to the cases of 2021. While the 109 cases recorded in 2024 represent a slight decline from the 114 cases in 2023 and the Covid pandemic-era peak of 136 in 2021. The absolute numbers are recorded higher than in any metropolitan city. However, the overall numbers still recorded high, posing a continuous threat to women in the city.
While the national capital stood first, the second position was secured by its neighbor city, Kanpur, with a tally of 54 cases. Bengaluru recorded 25 deaths. Although the numbers have dropped from 2021, when the cases surged at a concerning level during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysts say that the cases are still very high and pose a consistent threat to the women and the institution of marriage as a whole.
Law Has Changed, Reality Remains Same
The 2024 report reveals another significant transition. Earlier, cases were registered under 304B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and are now categorised under Section 80 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). According to the new law, a death is described as a dowry death when the woman dies under unnatural circumstances within several years of marriage, provided there is proof of cruelty and harassment linked to the demands of dowry days before death.
Activists say that most cases hold a history of domestic abuse and coercion which eventually culminates to dowry death over time. In January 2026, a case came to light where a woman SWAT commando was allegedly killed by her husband after repeated demands of dowry. The instance says how the upper-class women too are not free from such practices and continue to suffer within the four walls of home. However, most of these cases remain unheard and unreported.
While Delhi tops in absolute numbers, the report indicates that other cities face different facets of the same social issue. Bengaluru, for example, accounted for nearly 87 per cent of all dowry-related harassment cases (Section 85 BNS) reported across 19 metropolitan cities, even though its death toll was lower than Delhi’s. In contrast, several southern cities, including Chennai and Kochi, reported zero dowry deaths in 2024.
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Women's rights organisations and activists say that the numbers surge due to the social stigma related to the acceptance of dowry and the delayed justice system. Delhi, for several years, has recorded the highest number of dowry deaths. It is important to note that these issues won't stop only with the change of laws. It needs awareness campaigns and counselling sessions to overcome such societal threats.