One woman dies every hour in India because of
dowry-related crimes, indicating that the country's
economic boom has made demands for dowries
even more persistent, women's rights activists said
yesterday. The National Crime Records Bureau says
8,233 women were killed across India last year
because of disputes over dowry payments given by
the bride's family to the groom or his family at the
time of marriage. The conviction rate in dowry-
related crimes remained a low 32%.
Dowry demands often continue for years after the
wedding. Each year, thousands of young Indian
women are doused with gasoline and burned to
death because the groom or his family felt the
dowry was inadequate. Indian law prohibits the
giving or receiving of a dowry, but the centuries-old
social custom persists. Women's rights activists and
police said that loopholes in dowry prevention laws,
delays in prosecution, and low conviction rates have
led to a steady rise in dowry-related crimes.

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