Model Twisha Sharma's Family Claim Dowry Torture and Forced Abortion Led to Her Suicide at Age 33

The death of model and actor Twisha Sharma has drawn widespread attention in India after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) charged her husband and mother-in-law with offences including dowry death, cruelty and abetment to suicide.

Sharma, 33, was found dead on 12 May at her matrimonial home in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, in Central India, less than six months after her wedding to lawyer Samarth Singh.

The CBI alleges that Samarth Singh and his mother, Giribala Singh, a former judge, subjected Sharma to sustained mental cruelty before her death. The two accused have denied the allegations and are currently in custody, according to reports.

Family Alleges Dowry Harassment

Sharma's family has alleged that her husband and mother-in-law subjected her to cruelty and harassment over dowry demands, an allegation that has added to wider concern over dowry-related abuse in India.

Dowry was outlawed in India in 1961, but the practice remains widespread. National Crime Records Bureau data cited by Indian media recorded 5,737 dowry deaths in 2024, equal to nearly 16 deaths a day.

The chargesheet includes offences relating to dowry death, cruelty and abetment to suicide, as well as alleged violations of the Dowry Prohibition Act, while reports said the CBI was continuing to investigate aspects of the dowry allegations.

Investigators said the marriage deteriorated further after Sharma learned she was pregnant in April. According to the case material cited in court reports, Sharma's family alleged that Singh and his mother questioned her character, accused her of carrying another man's child and forced her to terminate the pregnancy.

Giribala Singh has denied that claim, reportedly saying Sharma wanted the abortion herself. The CBI chargesheet also alleged that Singh repeatedly used sexually derogatory language against Sharma over past relationships she had disclosed to him. The agency said Giribala Singh sometimes instigated or sided with her son when Sharma complained about his behaviour.

Messages Cited in Chargesheet

The CBI's chargesheet cited messages Sharma allegedly sent in the days before her death. Shortly before her death, Sharma reportedly communicated with her sister-in-law and complained about Singh's 'very aggressive and violent' behaviour towards her father.

The CBI alleged in its chargesheet that 'continuous mental cruelty' by the two accused ultimately left Sharma with 'no option' but to take her own life, according to reports. The allegations remain to be tested in court, and the filing of charges does not amount to a conviction.

Second Autopsy Found No Signs of Assault

Sharma's family had earlier alleged foul play and sought another post-mortem after raising concerns about the initial examination in Bhopal, which had documented multiple external injuries.

A second court-ordered post-mortem conducted in Bhopal by a medical board from AIIMS Delhi concluded that Sharma died from asphyxia caused by ante-mortem hanging and found no injuries suggesting assault, resistance or struggle before her death. The finding did not end the criminal case. Instead, investigators have focused on whether alleged cruelty, harassment and pressure inside the marriage drove Sharma to take her own life.

Sharma had won the Miss Pune pageant in 2012 and later appeared in the 2021 Telugu-language film Mugguru Monagallu. Her death has renewed attention on dowry-related abuse in India, where National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data recorded 5,737 dowry deaths in 2024 despite longstanding laws prohibiting the practice.