A Muzaffarnagar court on Saturday sentenced a 44-year-old man to death for murdering his lover and her six-year-old son on the day of Bakrid in 2011. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the convict, Zahoor Hasan, a resident of Bareilly who worked as a daily-wager in Muzaffarnagar.
Background of the Case
Additional district government counsel (ADGC) Kuldeep Kumar said Hasan was involved in an affair with Rajesh Devi, a 25-year-old married woman who also worked as a daily-wager at the same construction site. When Devi expressed her desire to live with Hasan, he planned to end the relationship by eliminating her.
On November 7, 2011, Devi arrived in Salempur village in Charthawal with her son at Hasan's request. The couple later had a heated argument about their relationship near a sugarcane field. During the altercation, Hasan strangled Devi and repeatedly struck her with a brick. He also hit the child with the same brick until he died. The bodies were later discovered on a farm, and the farm owner informed the police, leading to the registration of an FIR and the launch of an investigation.
Legal Proceedings
Hasan was identified by police and charged under sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code, among others. A chargesheet was submitted in court weeks later. ADGC added: "Additional district and sessions judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar, while awarding the death sentence, stated that the convict had committed an exceptionally brutal crime. The court held that such acts strike at the conscience of society and warrant the severest of punishments to uphold justice and protect innocent lives. It was also a mere coincidence that the crime took place on the day of Bakrid; it had nothing to do with the festival."
Court's Observations
Awarding the death sentence, the court observed: "Human life is a beautiful thing bestowed upon by God, and hence, all individuals have an equal right to live. Life is given by God, and only God can take it. If a person takes the life of another, they also have no right to live."
The case highlights the severity of crimes against women and children and the judiciary's stance on delivering justice in such heinous cases. The fine imposed will be used to compensate the victims' families.
