Recent reports indicate a troubling trend of husbands killing their wives and vice versa across the country. A United Nations study reveals that approximately 50,000 women and girls are murdered globally each year, with 60% of these cases involving a spouse, partner, or family member as the perpetrator, reported Aaj Taj. In India, research shows that around 275 husbands are killed by their wives annually, while an average of 225 wives are murdered by their husbands.
Currently, our nation has a population of nearly 1.4 billion. Within this extensive population, numerous crimes transpire daily, monthly and annually. However, certain events have captured public attention. Historically, husbands and wives have engaged in playful banter and disputes, even in eras devoid of television, mobile phones, the internet, or social media. Today, these disagreements are escalating into far more alarming situations. Couples are no longer merely exchanging harsh words, they are becoming the subjects of tragic news stories, with headlines such as “found deceased in drums, refrigerators, pressure cookers, suitcases, walls, floors, and beds.” The media is finding it increasingly challenging to keep track of these occurrences.
Muskan, the woman at the center of the notorious “drum case,” was in a love marriage with Saurabh, who had cut ties with his family for her, and they disowned him. The dynamics, however, shifted when Sahil entered her life, culminating in Saurabh’s tragic death as his body was found buried in cement in a drum. This is not an isolated incident. Likewise, Pragati from Auraiya also ended the life of her husband. Her family arranged her marriage to Dilip, a millionaire businessman, with the consent of both families and the couple. However, just 15 days after their wedding, Pragati, who was having an affair with another man named Anurag, used the muh dikhai (Hindu post-wedding ritual) money to hire a hitman, resulting in her husband’s murder within two weeks of their union.
According to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), a woman or girl is killed every 11 minutes around the world. On a daily basis, an average of 140 women or girls are murdered in their homes. The latest report which was released on 25th November 2024, revealed that in 2023 there were 51,100 murders of women and girls globally with nearly 60% of these acts committed by their partners, husbands or family members. It further indicated that the total number of women and girls murdered worldwide was 48,800 with more than 60% of these killings involving partners, husbands or family members, in 2022. Africa had the highest number of such cases followed by Asia, in this year but in 2023, the latter took the lead as Africa took second place.
According to a concerning statistic from the report, 58% of murder victims involved in partner or relationship-related incidents are women or girls. However, it is important to note that 42% of the victims are men, which suggested that the gender divide in these crimes is not as extensive as it may initially appear.
A report featured in the British medical journal “The Lancet” pointed out that 60% of homicides involving women in India are perpetrated by their current or former partners. The findings indicated that globally, women are at the greatest risk of being murdered by their present or past partners. In comparison, merely 6.5% of male homicides are carried out by their current or former female partners. This research was conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the South African Medical Research Council.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in India does not offer specific statistics regarding the number of husbands killed by their wives or the reverse. Nonetheless, it does monitor homicides associated with romantic relationships and affairs. The most recent data for 2022 presents a troubling picture as it unveiled that love has shifted from a nuturing element to one that takes lives. Homicides resulting from love affairs and marital relationships are the third and fourth most prevalent motives for murder in India. Statistically, approximately one in ten murders in the nation is perpetrated by a lover, spouse, or partner.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported in 2022 that India witnessed a total of 28,522 murder cases, which were linked to 19 distinct motives, including personal grudges, communal or religious strife, political agendas, witchcraft, caste conflicts, and robbery. Notably, the most concerning patterns revealed that love, betrayal, deception, and extramarital affairs ranked as the third and fourth leading causes of murder. Among the total murders, 2,821 were attributed to these relationship-related conflicts.
Homicides committed in the name of love are not a recent phenomenon as throughout history, individuals in romantic relationships have resorted to violence. However, since 2010, there has been a notable rise in murders stemming from marital conflicts, infidelity, and extramarital affairs. Analyzing data from the past 15 years reveals a distinct pattern: as social media usage has grown, the incidence of violence in both marital and romantic relationships has escalated. From 2010 to 2014, the proportion of murders linked to love affairs and relationships fluctuated between 7% and 8%. In contrast, from 2015 to 2022, this percentage increased to between 10% and 11%, and the trend shows no signs of abating.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) stated that in 2022, a total of 17,924 suicide cases were documented throughout the country. Of these 8,204 husbands or wives ended their lives due to marital issues. 7,692 lovers died by suicide over failed love affairs. 855 suicides were linked to illicit relationships. Besides the statistics provided by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the National Family Health Survey indicates that 4% of married women confess to physically harming their husbands.
Additionally, a report from the International Institute of Population Sciences (IIPS) outlined that working women who earn and use mobile phones are more likely to experience conflicts with their husbands. The report further noted that as women age, their likelihood of arguing with their husbands increases, while the opposite is true for men, who tend to argue less with their wives as they grow older.
The IIPS report stated that instances of violent altercations between spouses are more prevalent in nuclear families. Specifically, it reveals that in India, 29 out of every thousand husbands experience violence at the hands of their wives. In contrast, this statistic rises to 32 out of every thousand wives in nuclear family settings. Furthermore, data on registered murder cases involving spouses showed that in 2022, there were 220 reported cases of husbands being murdered by their wives, while over 270 cases of wives being murdered by their husbands were documented. As of now, 2025 is still in its early stages, and the NCRB has yet to publish data for 2024.
The data referenced above clearly uncovers a concerning pattern and serves as a warning regarding the escalating violence in relationships throughout the recent years.
