Lucknow Woman’s Death Sparks Outrage: Dowry, Assault, Forced Abortion Alleged by Family

A 32-year-old woman named Madhu Singh was found dead in her home in Lucknow just five months after marrying Merchant Navy officer Anurag Singh. While Anurag has claimed it was suicide, Madhu's family insists she was tortured and ultimately murdered over persistent dowry demands.

According to the post-mortem report, Madhu died by hanging. Her husband, Anurag Singh, has been arrested, and police are investigating all angles, including allegations of physical abuse, forced abortion, and an extramarital affair.

Lavish Wedding and Dowry Demands

According to NDTV Madhu and Anurag met through a matrimonial website and were married on February 25 this year. Her family claims Anurag, who works as a second officer with a Hong Kong-based shipping firm, demanded ₹15 lakh in dowry. Shared WhatsApp chats show repeated insistence on this amount, even when Madhu's family offered only ₹5 lakh.

Despite the financial strain, Madhu's father, Fateh Bahadur Singh, paid the full dowry after Madhu was assaulted just weeks after the wedding and returned to her parental home. She was taken back by Anurag afterward, but the abuse reportedly continued.

Social Isolation and Physical Abuse

Madhu's sister, Priya, described how Anurag isolated Madhu from friends and family. He allegedly discouraged her from speaking with loved ones and monitored her phone, call logs, and even online shopping.

"She was lively and outgoing before marriage, but Anurag didn't let her keep in touch with anyone," Priya said. "She could only call us when he was away."

In an audio clip shared by Priya, Madhu is heard saying: "Mujhe bohut mara (he beat me up badly) because when he was drinking, I didn't keep the bottle right in front of him."

In one recent incident, Anurag allegedly became violent during a car ride, accusing Madhu of watching other men just because she was driving close to the roadside.

Affair, Pregnancy, and Forced Abortion Allegations

According to her father's police complaint, Anurag was involved in an affair with an ex-girlfriend and even spent a night with her in a hotel on July 31, just days before Madhu's death. He further alleged that Anurag forced Madhu to terminate a pregnancy.

Madhu had reportedly discovered romantic chats between Anurag and the woman and had shared them with her family.

Timeline of Events Leading to Her Death

On August 3 (Sunday), Madhu reportedly told her sister about a violent assault. The next day, on August 4 at 4:32 pm, Anurag called the family claiming Madhu had died by suicide.

However, her family was alarmed by the delayed notification-nearly five hours after Anurag allegedly discovered the body. He had called the police emergency number 112 around noon but informed the family only later.

Investigators revealed that Anurag told the domestic help not to come that day. However, she showed up anyway, rang the bell several times, and received no response. Police also discovered that Anurag had ordered food around 10:30 am that morning.

Arrest and Charges

Anurag Singh has been arrested. During initial questioning, he claimed Madhu took her own life but failed to offer any credible explanation for what might have driven her to that point. He has been booked under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to cruelty and provisions under the Dowry Prohibition Act.

While in custody, police noted that he repeatedly asked for cigarettes.