Odisha Court Sentences Man To Death For Killing Wife Over Birth Of 2nd Daughter

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In Odisha’s capital, Bhubaneswar, a court has sentenced a man to death for the brutal murder of his wife and the attempted murder of his 6-year-old daughter 2 years ago.

The convict, 46-year-old Sanjeet Dash, repeatedly stabbed his wife, Saraswati, 33 times at their residence in the Ghatikia area on June 9, 2022. Saraswati was a head nurse at a private hospital and had recently given birth to their 2nd daughter.

Dash also attempted to murder his first daughter by slitting her throat, but she survived. He was arrested the following day, and a charge sheet was filed in October 2022.

The Second Additional Sessions Judge of Bhubaneswar, Bandana Kar, delivered the judgment on Thursday, categorizing the crime as “rarest of rare.” Judge Kar stated, “No leniency thus should be shown to the convict… Hence, this court awards the death sentence to the convict.”

The court identified the motive behind the crime as Dash’s anger over the birth of a second girl child, which also drove him to attempt the murder of his first daughter. The court emphasized that imposing the death penalty for such a “rarest of the rare” crime would serve as a deterrent to others who might consider similar heinous acts.

Along with the death sentence, the court also awarded Dash life imprisonment, with both sentences running concurrently, subject to modification, commutation, remission, or pardon.

In its observations, the court highlighted the profound trauma faced by the 6-year-old girl, stating, “The child, whom the Indian system of law doesn’t even permit to watch such monstrosity in films, would have had to live it on her own eyes.”

The court noted that the girl, who should have been enjoying the simple pleasures of childhood, instead witnessed the horrific murder of her mother by her father, an act that shattered her sense of security and trust.

The court directed that a copy of the judgment be provided to the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Khurda, to consider compensation for the minor daughters of the deceased.