“Dowry Deaths” in Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

This article is an outcome of a research project that focused on the incidence, pattern, and judicial response of what have been labeled “dowry deaths” in the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India. Cases that had been committed to court and tried during the 5-year period from 1988 to 1992 formed the database for the investigation. There were 498 reported cases of unnatural deaths of married women committed to court during this period in the two metropolitan cities and three districts that represent the distinct regions of the state of Andhra Pradesh. Of them, it was possible to obtain access to and analyze 340 cases. The article examines the reasons for the violence and analyzes the responses of the criminal justice system.