Manisha, a 28-year-old woman from Rathauda village in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, died by suicide on Tuesday, July 15, after facing months of alleged dowry torture and domestic abuse from her husband and in-laws. Before taking her life by consuming poison on her rooftop, Manisha recorded a heartfelt video and wrote a detailed suicide note on her arms, legs, and stomach, naming her husband Kundan Kumar and his family as the reason for her death.
The handwritten note included chilling descriptions of physical violence, emotional torture, and repeated dowry harassment. The Baghpat Police have registered an FIR against the accused under sections of dowry prohibition and abetment of suicide. As the investigation progresses, the tragic case has sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls for societal and legal action against India’s deep-rooted dowry culture.
Dowry Demands, Violence, And Her Final Words — Inscribed On Skin
In a deeply disturbing act of desperation, Manisha used a pen to turn her own body into a canvas for justice, inscribing the names of her abusers and detailing the cruelty inflicted upon her. Married in November 2023 to Kundan Kumar from Dadri in Noida, she reportedly endured ongoing harassment for an SUV and ₹10 lakh in additional dowry—despite her family spending approximately ₹20 lakh on her wedding and gifting a Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle.
According to her suicide note and video, Manisha had been beaten, starved, and even subjected to an attempted forced abortion after becoming pregnant. “I was thrown on the ground, beaten… One day they even tried to electrocute me,” her message on camera reveals. She alleged that neither her pleas for mercy nor her attempts to involve her family stopped the abuse.
When she returned to her parent’s house in early July, her in-laws followed with a village panchayat, demanding that she sign divorce papers — a move she resisted, insisting on the return of dowry items first. “They humiliated my family in front of the whole community. I’ve had enough. The world should know who is responsible,” Manisha stated in her last recording, tears visible on her bruised face.
Investigation Underway, Family Seeks Justice
The incident occurred late at night, and Manisha’s body was discovered the next morning on the rooftop after family members noticed her missing. Authorities responded swiftly. Baghpat Police confirmed that she died after ingesting pesticide, and a detailed forensic examination was conducted to preserve the written messages on her body. Her video was also collected as evidence.
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) N P Singh told the media: “A case has been registered under IPC sections 498A (dowry harassment), 304B (dowry death), and relevant sections of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
Investigation is on and no one will be spared.” Police have named Kundan Kumar, his parents, and his two brothers in the First Information Report (FIR), and teams have been deployed to arrest the accused, who reportedly fled their Noida residence after news broke of the suicide.
Manisha’s brother, Ritik, said: “We trusted them with our sister’s life. Instead, she was treated worse than an animal. We want justice — not just for Manisha but for every woman like her who suffers in silence.” The state Women’s Commission and regional NGOs have also stepped in, demanding a time-bound investigation and compensation for the family.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This painful case underscores a shameful truth—despite decades of activism and a clear legal framework, dowry-related abuse and deaths continue to haunt Indian society. Manisha’s death isn’t an isolated tragedy, but part of a broader pattern where women are pressured, abused, or killed for failing to meet unjust dowry expectations.
The Logical Indian stands with Manisha’s family and joins the call for urgent systemic reforms, including faster legal redress, community vigilance, and awareness campaigns to challenge the cultural normalisation of dowry. No woman should ever feel so helpless that her only option is to end her life—and write her own suicide note on her body.
