Death of three sisters spotlights India dowry violence

JAIPUR, India: Before the three sisters and their children were found dead in a well, they left a message blaming the family they had married into. Kalu, Kamlesh and Mamta Meena were victims of a dispute over dowries, the often hefty sums Indian parents pay to marry off their daughters.

The sisters had wed brothers from the same household and lived under the same roof, but suffered constant violence from their husbands and in-laws, according to the trio’s grieving relatives. They were abused constantly, they say, including when their father failed to meet demands for more money.

All three were found dead last month near their marital home, a village on the outskirts of Jaipur, along with Kalu’s four-year-old son and infant child. Both Kamlesh and Mamta were pregnant.

"We don’t wish to die but death is better than their abuse," read a message on WhatsApp left by one of the sisters after their disappearance, a cousin said. "Our in-laws are the reason behind our deaths. We are dying together because it’s better than dying every day." Authorities are investigating and currently treating the deaths as suicides, a senior police officer in Jaipur said.