More than 24 thousand cases of dowry deaths have been reported in the country in the past three years with maximum of them occurring in Uttar Pradesh. About 7000 women became casualty to the social evil. Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said this in a written reply in Lok Sabha today. Uttar Pradesh is followed by Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. As per National Crime Records Bureau data, the country has recorded 3 lakh 48 thousand cases of cruelty by husband or his relative and West Bengal tops the chart, followed by Rajasthan.