Twisha Sharma death case: Daughters killed for dowry

Around 6 p.m. connected May 28, a squad of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) near the residence of retired Bhopal territory justice Giribala Singh with her. They had arrested her pursuing much than six hours of probe and questioning successful transportation with her daughter-in-law Twisha Sharma’s dowry harassment and decease case. Dozens of reporters and camerapeople, who had turned the locality into a media centre since that morning, swarmed astir the CBI’s cars. The unit moved with the cars, from the location wherever Twisha, the 33-year-old erstwhile model, had been recovered dormant connected the nighttime of May 12, to the constabulary station. Giribala Singh’s son and Twisha’s husband, Samarth Singh was already successful the CBI custody. 

The apprehension came a time aft the Madhya Pradesh High Court quashed the anticipatory bail granted to Giribala Singh by a section Bhopal tribunal connected May 15, conscionable hours aft the section constabulary registered an FIR successful the lawsuit amid allegations from Twisha’s household of bias and deficiency of cooperation. 

Even though further probe and proceedings volition proceed successful the case, the 2 events people the decision of 16 exhausting and achy days for Twisha’s family. During this period, Twisha’s assemblage was kept successful a mortuary for 12 days for a 2nd autopsy to beryllium performed, earlier the cremation. Through the 2 weeks, societal media was rife with affectional breakdowns, online campaigns, and debates astir the presumption of women successful an Indian family. 

Twisha’s assemblage was cremated astatine Bhopal’s Bhadbhada Vishram Ghat connected May 24, conscionable hours aft a 2nd autopsy was conducted astatine AIIMS Bhopal by a four-member adept sheet of the AIIMS New Delhi connected her family’s request and connected the orders of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. 

Her household bid her a tearful farewell and arsenic her member Harshit Sharma, a Major with the Indian Army, lit the ceremonial pyre, Twisha’s parent Rekha Sharma collapsed connected the floor. Even arsenic relatives held her, she remained inconsolable. 

At a little supplication gathering, Twisha’s father, Navnidhi Sharma, remembered his girl saying that she would instrumentality attraction of her parents “as a mother” would. “We don’t cognize however we volition unrecorded without her. As kids turn up, they instrumentality attraction of their parents. They go similar parents and parents go similar children. She utilized to instrumentality attraction of similar a parent does her children,” helium said, portion expressing assurance that she volition get justice. 

Twisha’s household has maintained their allegation that it was “not a suicide” and that their girl “was murdered”.

The timeline of a tragedy

Twisha, 33, a erstwhile exemplary and an MBA graduate, was recovered hanging astatine her marital location successful Bhopal’s Katara Hills country connected the nighttime of May 12, conscionable 5 months aft marrying Samarth, a lawyer, connected December 9, 2025. 

While her household hails from Uttar Pradesh’s Noida, Twisha had moved to Bhopal aft the wedding. The mates had met done a matrimonial website successful 2024 aft which they got engaged successful May, 2025. Earlier, she had been Miss Pune earlier taking up a vocation successful marketing. 

As per her family, On May 12 Twisha and her parent were connected a telephone telephone since 9.41 p.m. with Samarth allegedly screaming astatine her successful the background. The telephone got disconnected astir 10.05 p.m. and was switched off. Her parent kept trying the numbers of Samarth and Giribala for astir 20 minutes. Around 10.37, Giribala allegedly answered her phone, told Twisha’s household “she is nary more” and hung up. 

While her household instantly near from Noida, they alleged that Twisha’s in-laws did not instrumentality their calls decently oregon speech to them done the night.

Twisha was taken to AIIMS Bhopal wherever she was declared brought dead, prompting the doctors to alert the constabulary astir 12.05 a.m. 

Her household arrived successful Bhopal connected the greeting of May 13, aft which began an exhausting bid of events starting with allegations against the section constabulary for “working nether the power of Giribala Singh”. 

The FIR successful the lawsuit was filed aboriginal successful the greeting of May 15, pursuing 2 days of protests and arguments with the section police.

Just hours aft the FIR, Giribala was granted anticipatory bail by a section Bhopal court, portion a akin exertion by Samarth was rejected. 

Even aft the FIR was lodged, the household continued to allege respective lapses successful the probe, specified arsenic a hold successful recovering important grounds similar the loop utilized arsenic ligature from the incidental spot, arsenic good arsenic organization bias by the section police, particularly Katara Hills constabulary presumption in-charge Sunil Kumar Dubey. 

Twisha’s household and friends besides launched a societal media run seeking justness for her, which brought the nationalist spotlight connected the lawsuit and dowry-related deaths successful general. 

The increasing contention and protests by her household members prompted Bhopal Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar to signifier a six-member peculiar probe squad (SIT) led by ACP Rajnish Kashyap Kaul. 

The household besides raised questions connected the process and study of the postmortem introspection conducted astatine AIIMS Bhopal, including Twisha’s tallness being mentioned shorter than she was, arsenic good arsenic six antemortem injuries perchance by blunt force. The postmortem study said that the origin of decease was “asphyxia owed to antemortem hanging by ligature”.

The alleged irregularities prompted the household to garbage to judge Twisha’s assemblage and request a 2nd autarkic autopsy and that the lawsuit beryllium transferred to the CBI. 

While netizens voiced their enactment online, connected crushed Twisha’s household was joined by retired officers of the Armed Forces, peculiarly the Vardi Social Welfare Foundation, a Bhopal-based radical of ex-servicemen. This came amid the alleged threats Twisha’s household received successful Bhopal, particularly from immoderate lawyers successful the tribunal premises. 

Speaking to The Hindu, Harshit said that the accused had “an service of lawyers who behaved similar goons”. “This started the time we opposed their anticipatory bail applications and immoderate lawyers told maine that they volition get maine ‘disappeared’. I had to attack my seniors successful the Army, who past arranged information for us,” helium said. 

Between May 17 and 20, the ex-servicemen rallied enactment for the household and got them to conscionable elder leaders and officials, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav who assured them that the lawsuit would beryllium transferred to the CBI. 

A important breakthrough for the family’s efforts came connected May 22 erstwhile the Madhya Pradesh Government recommended the lawsuit to the CBI portion the High Court successful Jabalpur accepted the family’s request for a 2nd autopsy, which was earlier rejected by the section Bhopal court. The High Court ordered that the autopsy beryllium conducted by an adept squad of AIIMS New Delhi. 

Later, the High Court took enactment of the household and the CBI’s claims that Giribala’s sister, Rajbala Singh Bhadoriya, who is simply a doc successful the metropolis and different doctor, some successful backstage practice, were contiguous successful the postmortem country during the examination. 

CCTV footage of the location wherever Twisha died besides surfaced online showing Twisha going upstairs and sometime aboriginal Samarth appearing to springiness her CPR connected the stairs. The footage besides showed Giribala walking done the framework a mates of times and different antheral who helped Samarth transportation Twisha downstairs. The footage, however, had timestamps from May 10 and from overmuch earlier successful the nighttime from the clip of the incident, raising doubts implicit its authenticity. 

The CBI aboriginal claimed successful the High Court that adjacent though the section constabulary seized the CCTV footage from her location connected May 13, Giribala inactive had the footage and “leaked the selective abbreviated clip of the video signaling connected the societal media with volition of tampering with the evidence”. The Bhopal Police Commissioner, however, has ruled retired immoderate tampering with the footage itself. 

On May 22, Samarth, who had been absconding, was besides taken into constabulary custody. While the constabulary continued to assertion that they were searching for him, helium abruptly arrived astatine a section tribunal successful Jabalpur to surrender. The judge, however, refused to judge his surrender saying that the substance acrophobic Bhopal courts. 

Even though helium donned a scarf, sunglasses, and a cap, immoderate lawyers representing Twisha’s household spotted him and held him until the section constabulary arrived and detained him. The lawyers alleged that helium tried to fly the tribunal and that his lawyers manhandled them. He was past handed implicit to the Bhopal police. 

On May 24, a four-member squad of AIIMS New Delhi doctors conducted the 2nd autopsy astatine AIIMS Bhopal connected her assemblage which had been successful a mortuary for 12 days. Her past rites were performed soon after. 

On May 25, the Supreme Court besides heard a suo motu case successful the substance saying it had stepped successful with consciousness of a “narrative” created that the judiciary was progressive successful denying her household a just probe. The SC, however, asked some the victim’s and the accused’s sides to refrain from making statements earlier the media. The aforesaid day, a CBI squad from New Delhi arrived successful Bhopal and took implicit the lawsuit from the SIT. 

The CBI re-lodged the FIR successful the lawsuit nether Sections 80(2), 85 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and Sections 3 and 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. 

Meanwhile, Twisha’s begetter and the State Government had challenged Giribala’s anticipatory bail earlier the High Court, which was quashed connected May 27, starring to her apprehension connected May 28.

The High Court quashed the section court’s bid portion noting that assorted injuries connected the victim’s body, including 1 connected her head, were antemortem, suffered earlier death. It besides said that the proceedings tribunal did not see respective facts portion allowing the anticipatory bail and noted that Giribala was “not cooperating” with the investigation. 

However, Advocate Anurag Shrivastava, representing Twisha’s family, has raised suspicions astir demolition of grounds and implanting contraband substances successful the victim’s belongings, which Giribala accused Twisha of being addicted to, arsenic the accused mother-in-law lived successful the location for implicit 10 days. He questioned the anticipatory bail granted to her without the information of sealing the house.

One of the astir superior allegations regarding organization bias made by Twisha’s household was that Giribala spoke to much than 40 highly influential radical betwixt the nighttime of May 12 and the time of May 13. The household released a database of telephone numbers belonging to elder IPS, IAS, and judicial officers and the past investigating serviceman Dubey on with CCTV camera technicians and a section salon wherever Twisha had gone the time she died. They claimed the database was obtained from the telephone item records (CDR) submitted by Giribala successful her anticipatory bail exertion and the names were recovered utilizing the caller ID apps.

Defamation and harassment allegations 

Since her death, Twisha’s household has made respective allegations against the mother-son duo, ranging from carnal and intelligence abuse, dowry demands and taunts, to shaming her implicit her erstwhile relationships and vocation successful the modelling and acting fields.

The family, successful the FIR, alleged that Giribala had demanded dowry astatine the clip of the wedding and that ₹2 lakh were paid then, but she and her lad continued to taunt Twisha implicit dowry portion saying that the wedding expenditure did not “match their standards”. Navnidhi, her father, besides said that Twisha, who had discontinue her occupation successful a firm institution successful Delhi aft moving to Bhopal, was not fixed wealth for idiosyncratic expenses by her in-laws and that helium utilized to nonstop her wealth online. He besides alleged that the in-laws had been asking Twisha to transportation her investments worthy astir ₹20 lakh to their names. 

The household has besides charged that Twisha’s hubby and mother-in-law forced her to terminate her one-month-old gestation successful April portion suspecting that it was not Samarth’s child. Giribala, however, has denied the charges saying that Twisha had aborted the kid willingly, arsenic she did not privation to person a child. 

She besides denied the charges of dowry portion claiming that she and Samarth had fixed astir ₹8 lakh to Twisha successful 5 months of the marriage. 

The quality of the lawsuit became overmuch much arguable chiefly by 2 sets of events — a bid of property conferences and media statements by Giribala, and a purported audio speech betwixt her and Harshit from a fewer weeks earlier her death. 

Terming her alleged termination arsenic “irresponsible conduct” and defending her son, Giribala told the media, “Girls instrumentality this measurement and bent themselves. Irresponsible conduct. Boys aren’t capable to bash that, truthful they are treated arsenic criminals.” Some of Giribala’s claims besides included deficiency of expected household values similar not watering plants, not worshiping, and dressing successful modern clothes. 

Twisha’s household besides held a property league with assorted ex-servicemen accusing Giribala of “public vilification and quality assassination” of their deceased girl who cannot support herself.

In the purported leaked audio clip, Harshit and Giribala could beryllium heard engaged successful an aggravated speech implicit Samarth allegedly calling her a prostitute and the mother-in-law questioning if she had intimate relationships earlier matrimony for “monetary benefits oregon to ascent the societal ladder”. Other household members from some sides could besides beryllium heard successful the clip. 

While Harshit is heard objecting to her connection portion asking however she could “ask this” to her ain daughter-in-law, Giribala is heard saying that it was “her right” to question Twisha and that “promiscuity tin beryllium a habit” which is not allowed successful her household.

As the speech gets heated, Giribala is heard asking Harshit successful an aggravated tone, “Are you trying to transverse questioning me? Is this not my close to inquire my daughter-in-law?”

Talking astir the clip, Harshit said, “I was challenging them past and there. But she is simply a justice and is not successful the wont of being challenged.” 

The 2 events drew monolithic backlash online against Giribala, prompting her to halt her media interactions wrong days. 

Back-breaking system

Founder of Verdi foundation, Major General (Retd.) Shyam Shrivastava, who led the ex-servicemen for Twisha’s household points to a “back breaking system” that they person had to woody with portion seeking a just probe successful the case. 

He says that Twisha’s household was not getting immoderate enactment from the authorities unless unit was built done communications and meetings with elder leaders and officials. 

“People speech large astir giving respect to america and clasp events successful the honour of soldiers. But what is the constituent if their families are not harmless and bash not get justness and cipher hears them? The respect does not get america done regular lives,” Shrivastava says. The seasoned besides says that it seemed “several highly influential people” are with the accused. 

He admits that done the campaign, they were capable to muster enactment for the household and get their demands similar a CBI probe and a 2nd autopsy addressed. 

“We had immoderate resources and a voice, and we could rise our concerns with the government. Harshit and his household were precise brave and did not suffer hope. But ideate a communal national successful this situation. This benignant of strategy volition interruption their backmost and permission them hopeless,” helium adds.

The distress signals and lessons successful adjustment

Just days aft Twisha’s death, her friends and household releases respective chat screenshots of their conversations with her that went viral connected societal media. The messages talked astir the alleged maltreatment she was facing and proposal of not rushing into a matrimony for the involvement of it. One of them read, “My beingness is simply a surviving hell.”

Some messages with her parent read, “Samarth is asking whose kid was it that you aborted. Mummy, I volition spell huffy here. I am not capable to bash each this now.”

“He [Samarth] wants to get [my] begetter to apologise by rubbing his chemoreceptor [a humiliating practice],” she said successful a message, to which her parent Rekha replies that the begetter volition apologise. “Shall I and your begetter come?” Rekha asked. 

The messages shifted the speech to the age-old conditioning of Indian women to set and prevention their marriages to the past extent. It besides started a statement astir parents not encouraging their daughters to instrumentality a decisive measurement to locomotion retired of a atrocious matrimony owed to societal pressure. 

The statement was further fuelled by respective different caller cases of alleged dowry related deaths crossed India. In Uttar Pradesh’s Greater Noida, Deepika Nagar, 24, was recovered dormant astatine her marital location connected May 17, wrong 2 years of marriage, with her household alleging that she utilized to beryllium assaulted for dowry and was murdered. They alleged that her in-laws had made further dowry demands, including astir ₹50 lakh and an SUV. The constabulary person arrested her hubby Hrithik Nagar and father-in-law Manoj Nagar successful a dowry decease case. 

In Rajasthan’s Jaipur, Anu Meena, 36, allegedly ended her beingness connected April 7 aft years of home violence, carnal and intelligence maltreatment by her hubby Gautam Meena, a PWD engineer, with a CCTV footage of 1 specified battle being submitted to the constabulary by her brother. The couple’s 2 children besides reportedly told the constabulary that their parent was often subjected to carnal battle and abuse. 

Senior Shiv Sena (UBT) person and erstwhile Rajya Sabha subordinate Priyanka Chaturvedi addressed these topics successful a recently-released video, saying however women were socially conditioned not to locomotion retired of a marriage. 

“People inquire if a pistillate was truthful educated, wherefore did she not instrumentality a stand? Why did she not permission the location oregon get a divorce? This is due to the fact that a immense question from our nine stands successful her mode — ‘What volition radical say?’ When a girl calls her parents and cries and says that these radical are hitting me, astir parents respond saying, ‘Beta, thoda set kar lo [Child, set a little]. It’s a caller matrimony and things volition get amended eventually. We volition suffer our representation successful society’,” she said, adding that radical hide to prevention their daughters portion trying to “protect fake societal standing”.

During the SC hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta famously remarked, “It is amended to person a divorced girl than a dormant daughter.”

mehul.malpani@thehindu.co.in