Jodhpur Dowry Suicide: Teacher and Daughter Die; Allegations Of Harassment By In-Laws

A 32-year-old government school teacher, Sanju Bishnoi, and her three-year-old daughter, Yashasvi, died after allegedly setting themselves on fire at their home in Sarnada Ki Dhani, Jodhpur district, on August 22. The incident came to light when police found the woman critically injured alongside her daughter, who succumbed to her injuries at the scene. Sanju Bishnoi was admitted to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital with severe burns and died the following morning.

According to the victim’s father, Sanju Bishnoi had been married 12 years ago. At the time of her marriage, the family gave a car and other valuables as dowry. Despite this, she reportedly faced ongoing harassment from her husband and in-laws, which escalated after the birth of her daughter.

Police confirmed that a note recovered from the scene detailed allegations of continuous harassment by the husband and the in-laws, which the woman cited as the reason for taking her own life and that of her child. “A note, found during the probe, detailed serious allegations of harassment by the deceased’s husband and her in-laws,” said Nagendra Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mandore. “The police have seized the deceased’s mobile phone and sent it to the Forensic Science Laboratory for examination.”

Investigators recovered a suspected petrol can at the scene. Officials noted that there were no signs of a struggle and that the house was locked from the inside. A case has been registered against the husband and three other individuals under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to abetment to suicide and dowry harassment.

The case has drawn attention amid ongoing discussions around dowry-related abuse, following several high-profile incidents across the country. Police are continuing their investigation, examining the note and the deceased’s mobile phone to establish the circumstances leading to the deaths.

Sanju Bishnoi’s death has left the local community in shock, highlighting persistent issues of dowry harassment and domestic abuse despite legal safeguards. Authorities have urged anyone with information about the case to come forward to aid the investigation.