A court in Udaipur has sentenced a man to death for setting his wife on fire after repeatedly harassing her over her dark complexion, officials said on Sunday.
The convict, identified as Kishan, was found guilty of murdering his wife Laxmi by pouring acid on her body and setting her ablaze.
According to the prosecution, Kishan regularly taunted Laxmi for her appearance and weight, often subjecting her to verbal abuse.
On the night of the crime, he allegedly told his wife he had brought her a “medicine" and applied it on her body.
When she complained of an acidic smell, he dismissed her concerns and lit an incense stick on her stomach, causing her clothes to catch fire.
Kishan then poured the remaining liquid on her, leading to her death from severe burns.
Police registered a case at Vallabhnagar police station in Udaipur, and the trial was conducted in the court of the Additional District Judge.
Public prosecutor Dinesh Paliwal said the crime stemmed from the accused’s obsession with his wife’s complexion.
“He continuously humiliated her for her dark skin and ultimately killed her in a brutal manner," Paliwal told reporters.
While pronouncing the verdict, the judge observed that incidents of such cruelty were increasing and ruled that the death penalty was necessary “to keep the fear of the court alive in society."
Source: News18
