Centre directs states to check dowry deaths: Renuka Chowdhury

New Delhi, Sep 10 (UNI) As many as 6,787 incidents of dowry deaths were reported in the country during 2005 while the number of cases registered against the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 was 3,592, forcing the Centre to ask the states to take measures to check them, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury said in a written reply that the number of dowry deaths and complaints showed a mixed trend as per the information compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau.

During 2003, 2004 and 2005 the complaints of dowry harassment registered were 2,684, 6,208 and 3,592 while the number of dowry deaths were 7,026, 3,204 and 6,787 respectively, Ms Chowdhury said.

Similar information for the year 2006 is under collection by the Bureau, the minister said.

Enumerating the steps being taken for the empowerment of women to curb crimes against them, Ms Chowdhury said that the Centre has advised all the state governments and union territory administrations to ensure full compliance with the directions of the May 2, 2005 of Supreme Court to reinforcement and implementation of Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.

UNI