Since 2015, more than 11,000 women married to Indians abroad have approached India’s foreign missions with complaints of domestic crises. Many cases involve allegations of fraud and abuse. But in most instances, overseas officials are able to do only so much to help.

Violence against women is legitimized by social norms, beliefs and institutions.

It was the tragic death by suicide that has laid bare the daily trauma of the three sisters from a landless household married to an affluent family with demands for dowry from impoverished parents.

According to the police, the incident took place on Friday night when the minor girl and her mother were heading to Roorkee from Kaliyar, Haridwar in a rickshaw.

The report traces the contours of violence against women and girls in the country today, only to stress upon the need for quality and accessible shelter schemes and homes.