Bride burning

From Freepedia

Bride-burning is a form of domestic abuse practiced in parts of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh that is often disguised as a kitchen accident or suicide.

Indian police say that every year they receive more than 2,500 reports of bride burning. These women are burned to death over wealth -- because their husbands or in-laws are unhappy with the size of the dowry that accompanied them into the marriage. It is a recent phenomenon (the first bride burnings occurred in the 1970's), and can be attributed to the rise in consumerism & greed, in combination with the practice of giving dowry. Giving dowry upon marriage has been part of most ancient cultures, but it has continued and gone out of control in India, despite being prohibited by law as of 1961.