Kalyan: Pregnant Woman Alleges In-Laws Shaved Her Head, Burnt Her Hands and Starved Her Over Dowry
A pregnant woman in Kalyan has alleged that she suffered months of abuse, starvation and humiliation at the hands of her in-laws over dowry demands. In her complaint, Afsana claimed her hands were deliberately burnt with boiling water and that her head was forcibly shaved to humiliate her. Police have arrested her husband and booked four members of the family under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
A pregnant woman has alleged that she endured months of abuse, starvation and humiliation at the hands of her in-laws in Maharashtra's Kalyan, culminating in her head being forcibly shaved over dowry-related disputes. Police have arrested her husband after she escaped from the family home and filed a complaint detailing the alleged abuse.
The woman, identified as Afsana, is also the mother of a one-and-a-half-year-old child and is currently undergoing treatment at Central Hospital in Ulhasnagar. Police have registered a case against four members of her husband's family, including her husband, in connection with the allegations.
Pregnant Woman Alleges In-Laws Shaved Her Head Over Dowry
According to police, Afsana married Sameer Ansari, a resident of Waldhuni in Kalyan, around two years ago. In her complaint, she alleged that her husband's family had demanded dowry before the marriage. Although her family informed them that they could not afford such demands, the pressure allegedly continued after the wedding and gradually escalated into harassment and abuse.
Police said the woman has accused her in-laws of subjecting her to repeated physical and mental cruelty over the issue.
Afsana told police that she was routinely denied adequate food and was often left without money for daily expenses. She further alleged that she was physically assaulted on multiple occasions and that her hands were deliberately burnt with boiling water. Investigators are examining the allegations as part of the ongoing probe.
Head Allegedly Shaved to Humiliate Her
According to the complaint, the most recent incident involved Afsana's mother-in-law, sister-in-law and another female relative allegedly shaving her head against her will.The family allegedly claimed that the act was necessary because she had lice. However, the woman told police that the move was intended to humiliate her. After the incident, she was allegedly locked inside a room.
Escape After Son Fell Ill
Police said Afsana managed to leave the house after finding an opportunity when her young son became unwell. She was reportedly allowed to take the child to a doctor. Instead, she travelled to her maternal home in Ulhasnagar, where she informed her family about the alleged abuse. Her relatives later approached the Mahatma Phule Police Station and lodged a formal complaint.
Based on the complaint, police registered a case against four members of the woman's in-law family, including her husband.
Baliram Pardeshi, Senior Police Inspector at the Mahatma Phule Police Station, told HT, “We have arrested the husband of the complainant in this case. Four members of the victim’s in-law family, including her husband, have been booked under Sections 85 and 86 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Other members of the family will be arrested after we ascertain their exact roles in the crime.”
Police said the husband has been arrested and further investigation is underway to determine the involvement of the other accused family members. The allegations are currently under investigation, and authorities are recording statements and gathering evidence related to the case.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 17, 2026 06:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).