'Give daughters pistols, not gold in kanyadaan': UP mahapanchayat after Noida 'dowry killing'; elders say jewellery 'useless', call weapons vital
Tuesday, 26 August 2025 () Following a dowry-related murder in Greater Noida, a 'mahapanchayat' in Baghpat has controversially urged parents to gift daughters weapons like pistols and swords during 'kanyadaan' instead of traditional dowry. The gathering, largely attended by Rajputs, cited concerns over women's safety and the ineffectiveness of dowries.