A 26-year-old woman from Ghaziabad has levelled shocking allegations against her husband and in-laws, accusing them of subjecting her to months of physical and mental torture in the name of beauty, dowry, and control.
Shanu, who is also Hindustan Times newsroom assistant editor Shanvi, wedded Shivam Ujjwal, a govt physical education teacher, on 6 March in what was to be an opulent new beginning. Her family spent close to ₹76–77 lakh on the wedding that involved ₹16 lakh jewellery, a ₹24 lakh worth Mahindra Scorpio, and ₹10 lakh in cash. But just days after the wedding, she claims, her married life became a nightmare.
Tortured for a ‘Nora Fatehi-like Body’
In her complaint, Shanu alleged that her husband compelled her to work out for three hours daily, demanding that she change her physique to look like Bollywood actress Nora Fatehi. Whenever she felt too exhausted or sick to do so, Shivam reportedly withheld her food for days, driving her into extreme physical as well as emotional torture.
“Though I am of average height and fair, I used to be body shamed all the time. My husband would tell me that he could have easily married a girl like Nora Fatehi and that I had destroyed his life,” Shanu said.
She also blamed her husband for being fixated on objectionable clips of other women on YouTube and Instagram. When she protested, he allegedly beat her into silence.
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Privacy and Harassment concerns raised
Shanu complained that she did not have privacy in her nuptial home. She could not even shut the bedroom door, and her father-in-law would often enter unannounced, stating he was “checking on his son.”
In one situation, Shivam allegedly hurled a diary towards her face. When she reported the issue to her in-laws, rather than defending her, they apparently asked her to bring new clothes and an oven toaster griller (OTG) from her maternal house.
The woman also accused her mother-in-law, father-in-law, and sister-in-law of regular harassment. They repeatedly asked her for dowry, demanding that she bring more land, jewellery, and money even though extravagant wedding costs were already borne by her.
Miscarriage Following Abuse
It became worse after Shanu got pregnant. Based on her complaint, her in-laws intentionally provided her with food that affected her health. In July 2025, she experienced excessive bleeding and intolerable pain before being taken to hospital, where medical practitioners established that she had miscarried following prolonged mental as well as physical abuse and unsuitable diet.
After the miscarriage, Shanu went back to her maternal house. She claimed that her husband and in-laws continued to abuse and threaten her on video calls, even threatening divorce.
On July 26, when she attempted to go back to her marital house along with her parents, Shanu was reportedly denied entry and not permitted to take back the jewellery and valuables that were bestowed by her family.
‘I Was Told I Am Fat and Ugly’
In her disclaimer statement, Shanu opened up about how the abuse affected her mind.
“Shivam labeled me as fat and ugly, and said I was worthy of being thrown out. He kept uttering the fact that his life was destroyed as he could have gotten married to someone like Nora Fatehi. My in-laws stood by him rather than me.”
The woman has subsequently lodged a police complaint against her husband, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and sister-in-law for domestic violence, dowry harassment, blackmail, and mental and physical torture. The authorities are looking into the case.
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
