Dating app match, barely six-month marriage: How ‘dowry death’ victim met her Bhopal husband

WLid began as a geological dating app link in 2024 ended in tragedy to a lesser extent than sise months after marriage, with the death of a Noida resident in Bhopal now triggering allegations of dowry harassment, assault and murder by her family.The 31-year-old was found hanging at her marital home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area on May 12. Police said she had married a Bhopal-based lawyer in December 2025 after the two met through a dating app the previous year. He is the son of a former sessions judge.An FIR has since been registered against the husband and his mother under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 80(2) related to dowry death, while a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the allegations.How woman met her husbandAccording to police, the woman, originally from Noida, met the man through a dating app in 2024. Their relationship later progressed to marriage, and the couple tied the knot in December 2025.After the wedding, she shifted to Bhopal and began living with her spouse and his family at their residence in the Bagh Mugalia Extension-Katara Hills area.However, the woman's relatives claim that she had been unhappy in Bhopal and wanted to return to Noida.According to family members, she remained in regular contact with them and had spoken to them until around 10 pm on Tuesday night, shortly before her death.Her father alleged that she spoke to him around 30 minutes before the incident and complained of harassment by her husband and mother-in-law. The family also alleged that she had told them she was physically assaulted by her husband.Family points to injury marks on bodyPolice began investigating the case as a suspected suicide. However, her family alleged foul play and claimed there were injury marks on her body. They accused the husband and his mother of murdering her.The family also questioned the post-mortem process conducted at AIIMS Bhopal, alleging that the investigating officer failed to submit crucial evidence for forensic examination, as mentioned in the medical report.Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajneesh Kashyap, who is heading the SIT probe, said the investigation would examine allegations of dowry harassment, physical assault and alleged attempts to destroy evidence after the woman's death, news agency PTI reported.Police also said efforts were intensified to trace and arrest the woman's husband.Protest outside CM residenceAs the investigation progressed, the woman's family staged a protest outside Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav’s residence in Bhopal on Sunday, the news agency added.The family demanded that a second post-mortem examination be conducted at AIIMS Delhi, claiming the woman's body had remained in the AIIMS Bhopal mortuary for five days.Her father and brother later said officials from the chief minister’s office assured them that fair action would be taken. The family also demanded that legal proceedings in the case be transferred outside the state.Meanwhile, a Bhopal district court granted interim bail on Saturday to the victim's father-in-law, retired district principal judge and former district consumer forum chairperson in connection with the case.The hearing on the husband's anticipatory bail plea is scheduled for Monday.Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918, Roshni Foundation (Secundrabad) Contact Nos: 040-66202001, 040-66202000; ONE LIFE: Contact No: 78930 78930, SEVA: Contact No: 09441778290