New Delhi, Dec 24 (Prensa Latina) A woman commits suicide in India every four hours, overwhelmed by disputes with the husband’s family on dowries, according to official statistics published Monday.
The National Crime Registration Bureau reported that 2,276 Indian women killed themselves last year, because of this kind of problems last year.
In 2005, the number of dead women was slightly bigger, reching 2,305 cases.
The Indian IANS news agency said Indian police stations received a crime report every hour.
Payment of dowries was prohibited in India in 1961, because of the use of blackmail, extortion, and mistreatment to women, but the tradition forces brides to give jewels, money, and other things to the future husband’s family, a process that takes months to be completed.
A legislation called Dowry Prohibition Act, approved 40 years ago to stop this practice, only protects women during the first 7 years of their marriage, a time in which they are considered more vulnerable to abuse.
This legislation is applicable when a woman dies in strange circumstances, and her husband is considered guilty, until he can prove he is innocent.