Head Shaved, Starved, Assaulted: Woman Alleges Torture Over Dowry Demands In Maharashtra's Kalyan

Last Updated:June 17, 2026, 11:38 IST

Police have registered a case against five members of her husband's family and launched an investigation.

Dowry Harassment In Kalyan: A woman in Maharashtra’s Kalyan has accused her husband and in-laws of subjecting her to months of physical and mental abuse over alleged dowry demands. including

The woman, identifed as Afsana, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ulhasnagar, has alleged that she was assaulted during pregnancy, was denied food, burned with hot water, and he head was forcibly shaved.

Police have registered a case against five members of her husband’s family and launched an investigation.

According to the complaint, Afsana, a resident of Ulhasnagar, married Sameer Ansari of Kalyan’s Waldhuni area in November 2025. Her family claimed they had informed the groom’s family before the marriage about their financial difficulties and inability to provide dowry.

However, Afsana alleged that soon after the wedding, her husband and in-laws began pressuring her family for money and other items. She claimed that the harassment continued throughout her pregnancy and that she was frequently assaulted by her husband, mother-in-law, father-in-law and sister-in-law.

The woman further alleged that she was often denied adequate food and that hot water was poured on her hands, causing burn injuries. She also claimed that she was not given money for basic daily expenses.

According to the complaint, on June 7, her husband and other family members forcibly shaved her head on the pretext that she had lice. She alleged that after the incident, she was confined to a room for nearly a week and subjected to further harassment.

Afsana said she eventually managed to escape from the house and reached her sister’s residence, where she informed her family about the alleged abuse. She was later admitted to Ulhasnagar’s Central Hospital for treatment.

Senior Police Inspector Baliram Pardeshi of Mahatma Phule Police Station said police received information that the woman had been admitted to the hospital, following which a team was sent to record her statement.

“According to the complaint, the husband, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law and aunt-in-law had been demanding money and other items since the marriage. On June 7, the woman’s hair was cut after she was told it could otherwise cause breathing problems for the child. Following the incident, she became mentally distressed," Pardeshi said, as quoted by India Today.

Based on the complaint, police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and further investigation is underway.

About the Author

Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre...Read More

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