“Let Me Live in My Husband’s Home, or Grant Me the Right to Die”: Saharanpur DM Hears Victim Hina’s Plea

An emotionally charged scene unfolded outside the Saharanpur District Magistrate’s office on Thursday when a distraught woman from Chhattisgarh staged a sit-in, demanding either the right to live in her husband’s home or permission for euthanasia. The dramatic appeal drew immediate attention, prompting District Magistrate Manish Bansal to step out of his office and personally hear her grievance.

Holding a placard and breaking down in tears, Hina, a resident of Green Park Colony in Abhanpur, Chhattisgarh, alleged that her life had been shattered by relentless dowry harassment, taunts over childlessness, and her husband’s second marriage. Overwhelmed emotionally and mentally, she claimed she saw no path forward except death.

Marriage Turned Into a Nightmare

Hina told officials that she was married on April 24, 2019, to Abdul Rehman, a resident of Banjaran village under Rampur Maniharan police station in Saharanpur district, following Muslim customs. According to her, her father spent far beyond his financial capacity on the wedding, gifting a Honda Amaze car, gold and silver jewellery, and nearly ₹5 lakh in cash. The total expenditure, she claimed, amounted to approximately ₹54 lakh.

Despite this, Hina alleged that her in-laws remained dissatisfied and soon began demanding additional dowry. When their demands were not met, she was allegedly subjected to physical violence and mental harassment. Repeated attempts at reconciliation by family elders failed to improve the situation.

Thrown Out Over Dowry and Childlessness

Hina further alleged that she was continuously humiliated for not having a child. Using this as a pretext, her in-laws eventually expelled her from the matrimonial home. She claimed she was bluntly told that she could return only if she brought ₹50 lakh from her parents.

Left with no option, Hina returned to her parental home in Chhattisgarh. It was during this period that she learned her husband had contracted a second marriage without her consent or knowledge, a revelation she described as the final blow to her shattered life.

Plea Ignored, Desperation Grows

Hina stated that she approached the police and various authorities multiple times seeking justice, but her complaints failed to evoke any serious response. Feeling abandoned by the system, she decided to travel to Saharanpur and stage a protest outside the District Magistrate’s office.

Her anguished cry—“Either let me live in my husband’s home, or grant me permission to die”—left officials and bystanders stunned.

District Magistrate Assures Justice

Upon learning about the protest, DM Manish Bansal personally came out of his office and listened patiently to Hina’s account. He assured her that the matter would be thoroughly investigated and that strict legal action would be taken if her allegations were found to be true. The District Magistrate also directed her to file a formal complaint at the concerned police station to initiate due legal proceedings.

The incident has once again highlighted the grim realities faced by women trapped in dowry-related abuse and marital exploitation—and the desperate lengths to which victims are driven when justice appears elusive.