‘Save Me Or They’ll Kill Me’: Gwalior Woman Dies Within Year Of Marriage, Family Alleges Dowry Murder

‘Save Me Or They’ll Kill Me’: Gwalior Woman Dies Within Year Of Marriage, Family Alleges Dowry Murder Published By, Last Updated: May 19, 2026, 15:10 IST Family members claimed Palak was often isolated in the house, mentally tortured and even denied food. Rapid Read According to her father-in-law, the family broke open the room after she did not respond from inside and found her hanging from a ceiling fan. Gwalior Dowry Death: In a shocking incident, a 21-year-old woman died under mysterious circumstances at her in-laws’ house in Gwalior within a year of her marriage, with her family alleging dowry harassment and murder, while the in-laws claimed that she died by suicide. The deceased, identified as Palak Rajak, had reportedly called her father shortly before her death, pleading to be taken away from her matrimonial home, India Today reported. According to her family, Palak called her father on the evening of May 12, around 20 to 30 minutes before her death. “Papa, take me away from here. They keep demanding a car and a gold chain. They are harassing me continuously. These people will kill me," she allegedly told her father while crying over the phone, the report said. Her brother Prince said that Palak sounded terrified during the call. “She was crying badly and asking us to come immediately and take her away," he said. The family said that while they were on the way to bring her home, they received another call from her husband informing them that Palak had been admitted to hospital. When they reached there, she was already dead. The woman’s family alleged there were injury marks on her neck, legs and other parts of her body, raising suspicion of murder. He family has claimed that Palak may have struggled before her death and demanded a forensic investigation, videography of the postmortem and a fair probe. Palak’s family alleged that she was repeatedly harassed by her husband, mother-in-law and brother-in-law over dowry demands. Meanwhile, the in-laws maintained that Palak died by suicide. According to her father-in-law, the family broke open the room after she did not respond from inside and found her hanging from a ceiling fan. She was later rushed to hospital where doctors declared her dead. Police said that a detailed investigation was underway based on the postmortem report, forensic findings and statements of family members. Palak married Amit Rajak, an outsourced Air Force employee, in April 2025. The family claimed they had given gold, silver, a motorcycle and fixed deposits during the wedding, but the in-laws later demanded a car and a gold chain. They also alleged that the fixed deposits were forcibly encashed by the in-laws. Family members claimed Palak was often isolated in the house, mentally tortured and even denied food. As per the report, she had not eaten properly for nearly three days before her death. Palak, who regularly posted social media reels and had over 10,000 followers online, had allegedly shared posts hinting at emotional distress and anxiety. One reel posted two days before her death reportedly mentioned words like “panic attack", “anxiety", “sleepless nights", “continuous crying" and “depression". Investigators are now examining her social media activity as part of the probe. The incident came days after two women– Twisha Sharma in Bhopal and Deepika Nagar in Greater Noida– allegedly died due to dowry harassment. These cases have once again drawn national attention to dowry harassment in India. Both women allegedly died under suspicious circumstances within a short period of marriage, and their families have accused the in-laws of harassment and dowry-related abuse. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: Gwalior, India, India First Published: May 19, 2026, 15:10 IST News india ‘Save Me Or They’ll Kill Me’: Gwalior Woman Dies Within Year Of Marriage, Family Alleges Dowry Murder Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...