Dowry Deaths A Social Tragedy
Marriages are made in heaven indeed, but dowry death, murder-suicide and bride burning are symptoms of peculiar social maladies, which have spawned like a "Black Plague". The word 'dowry' has been defined in The Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 which states that dowry means any property or valuable security given or agreed to be given either directly or indirectly by one party to the other party in a marriage to. If it is shown that soon before the death of a woman such woman has been subjected to cruelty or harassment for, or in connection with, any demand for dowry, the court shall presume that such a person has caused dowry death under section 304B, Indian Penal Code. Now cruelty as mentioned here above mean any willful conduct which is of such a nature as is likely to drive the woman to commit suicide or to cause grave injury or danger to life, or harassment to coerce her or any other person related to her to meet demand. Cruelty includes both physical and mental torture
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