A grim case of domestic violence and dowry harassment in Bihar’s Bhagalpur city turned into a double tragedy after the mother of the victim also lost her life upon seeing her daughter’s body. The deceased were identified as Sunaina Devi, who was allegedly strangled to death by her in-laws over a dowry dispute, and her mother, Babli Devi, who later succumbed to a brain haemorrhage brought on by shock.
According to local accounts, Sunaina had been facing constant discord in her marriage. Her husband’s unemployment created repeated tensions, while her in-laws reportedly kept pressing her for additional dowry. These prolonged disputes culminated in a violent confrontation that allegedly ended with Sunaina’s death at the hands of her husband’s family.
When news of the incident reached her family, Sunaina’s mother, Babli Devi, rushed to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Bhagalpur with a relative. The moment she saw her daughter’s lifeless body, she collapsed on the spot. Despite efforts to revive her, doctors confirmed that Babli Devi had suffered a brain haemorrhage, which proved fatal.
The situation further escalated when tensions broke out between the two families regarding whether or not Sunaina’s postmortem should proceed. Police officials had to step in to defuse the dispute, eventually ensuring that the postmortem examination was carried out.
The heartbreaking episode has highlighted once again the deadly persistence of dowry-related abuse in parts of India, where women remain vulnerable to violence at the hands of their in-laws. What makes this case even more devastating is that a grieving mother’s life was cut short in the immediate aftermath, amplifying the sense of loss for the family and underscoring the tragic human costs of such social evils.
