Patna: In Muzaffarpur, Bihar, a newlywed woman, Deepti, claimed her in-laws wanted her kidney in exchange for not forcing her to meet the dowry demands, so the police arrested four people.
Reports from the Mithanpura police station in Muzaffarpur share how Deepti, a young married woman, went to the women’s police station to file a complaint about her husband and his family members. Deepti married a man from Bochaha in 2021 and had a regular family experience at first. Gradually, her in-laws’ expectations increased, and they were now asking for money and a motorcycle as a dowry.
Deepti was faced with more difficulty after learning that her husband’s kidney was failing in 2023. Without getting treatment for his illness, her in-laws asked her to donate a kidney to him. The initial comment from my classmates became serious stress. Because Deepti said no, Bhim went on to physically assault her and urged her to leave.
Deepti went back home to complain about the job to her parents. Deepti went to the women’s police and requested a divorce, though her husband would not agree. Given there was no conclusion, a case (No. 38/25) was lodged against the husband and three other relatives under the right legal provisions.
The person at the rural hospital said, “The woman claims that her in-laws have been constantly asking her to donate her kidney.” We have logged the case in the system and are currently conducting an investigation. He promised tough measures would be taken after the probe was done.
On social media, people have criticised the in-laws and asked for tougher measures to prevent dowry abuse. According to NCRB data, Bihar registered 1,081 dowry deaths in 2017, certainly showing that dowry-related crimes persist.
It is noted by professionals that claiming to prevent harassment is possible, but challenges in its enforcement exist in rural areas due to the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, Section 304B, and Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code. It has also sparked worries about the ethics of organ donation, remembering a 2022 case in Muzaffarpur where a woman’s surgery led to her kidneys being illegally removed.
The unusual demand for a kidney as a new form of dowry strongly argues for tighter control on both dowry abuse and organ trafficking. As the police probe this case, it reminds everyone that Bihar and the country as a whole should adopt measures to support women and ensure justice.