Guwahati, Aug. 8: A total of 2,118 women have been murdered in Assam since 2011 of whom 840 were killed for dowry and 76 in cases related to witch-hunting.
Informing this, state transport and industry minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told the Assembly today that 2014 reported maximum of 414 cases of such murders of which 159 women were killed for dowry.
Patowary said the number of cases of women murder increased from 319 in 2011 to 413 in 2015.
The state has witnessed 231 cases of such murders since July this year. A total of 384 and 393 women were killed in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The data were presented in the Assembly today in reply to Bodoland People's Front (BPF) legislator Kamali Basumatary's queries about the number of women murdered in Assam.
Patowary replied on behalf of chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who also holds the home portfolio.
The murders were related to rape (60), witch-hunting (76), domestic violence (112), dowry (840) and others (1,030). The number of deaths because of rape increased from six in 2011 to 13 last year.
This year, four women died in rape cases till last month. The state had witnessed 23 incidents of witch-hunting in 2011, nine in 2012, eight in 2013, 15 in 2014 and 20 in 2015.
Murder for dowry has become a serious issue in the state with studies by women rights NGO, North East Network, revealing that dowry demands were not confined to jewellery, furniture and cars anymore as the groom and his family often demand money from wife's family to pay bribe for their son's government job.
The NGO has been demanding a women's helpline (1091) in the state, fast-track courts in all districts for speedy trial of all crimes against women and speed up the process to implement the Assam Witch-hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2015.
According to Assam Human Development 2014, almost 40 per cent married women in the state witnessed physical violence of which 82 per cent was perpetrated by husband.
Crimes against women increased from 15.23 per cent in 2008 to 18.52 per cent in 2013.
Patowary said the process to notify the anti-witchhunt law was under way.
