BHOPAL: A woman who married just six months ago was allegedly held at gunpoint and branded with a hot knife at least 50 times by her husband inside their home in southwestern Madhya Pradesh’s Barwani district.
A case has been registered against the woman’s husband, but he and his family claim the wounds were self-inflicted.
Alleging horrific torture by her husband, the young woman, identified as Khushboo, said he has disliked her since their marriage in February 2025 and has been repeatedly demanding dowry.
Narrating the events on Tuesday, the woman said the episode happened on Sunday night in the Anjad area of Barwani district.
Her husband, Dilip Pipliya, first beat her, then dragged her into the kitchen and locked her inside. He tied her hands and legs, before lighting the gas stove and heating a knife on the flame.
Dilip then put a country-made pistol to her head and branded her with the hot knife on her hands, back, and hip. About 50 branding marks were visible on the young woman’s body.
She first told her in-laws, who live on the first floor of the house, about the horrific act, but they dismissed the matter, alleging she had self-inflicted the injuries.
Khushboo, who hails from the adjoining Khargone district, returned to her parents’ home with her brother on Tuesday morning. She and her parents then reported the matter to the Mengaon police station in Khargone district.
She was subsequently taken to Khargone district hospital for a medical examination. Following this, a case was registered at the Jaitpura police station.
Confirming the development, Khargone district police superintendent Dharmaraj Meena said, “A case of voluntarily causing grievous hurt, wrongful restraint, and cruelty by a husband has been registered at Jaitpura police station in Khargone district against the woman’s husband, Dilip, under sections 115(2), 118, 126, and 85 of the BNS. The investigation will be transferred to Anjad police station in Barwani district, as the alleged incident occurred there. The woman is currently under treatment at Khargone district hospital.”
The woman and her parents also alleged that while she was returning to Khargone district, her husband and his associates arrived in two vehicles and threatened to kill her and her parents if she reported the matter to the police and did not return to Barwani.
However, her husband, Dilip, and his in-laws have denied all allegations, claiming instead that she self-inflicted the wounds.