Daijiworld Media Network – Jhanjharpur

Jhanjharpur, Jul 4: In a landmark judgment, a court in Bihar's Jhanjharpur has sentenced a woman and her lover to death for murdering her two young children, holding that the crime fell within the "rarest of rare" category.

The verdict was delivered by District and Additional Sessions Judge-II Abhishek Ranjan, marking what is believed to be the first instance in the history of the Jhanjharpur civil court where capital punishment has been awarded.

The court convicted Anita Devi and her lover, Jai Prakash Mandal, for murdering four-year-old Prince Kumar and 18-month-old Srishti Kumari, whom they allegedly considered obstacles to their relationship.

Both were sentenced to death under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and fined Rs 50,000 each. They were also sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment under Sections 201 and 34 of the IPC for destroying evidence, along with a fine of Rs 10,000 each.

According to the prosecution, Anita, wife of Pramod Kumar Safi of Narhi village under Andhramath police station limits in Madhubani district, left home with her two children on Jul 3, 2023. When she did not return, family members launched a search for them.

Investigators alleged that Anita and Jai Prakash had conspired to eliminate the children as they wanted to live together without them. The prosecution told the court that the duo took the children near the Balan River on the pretext of visiting Anita's maternal home, strangled them and threw their bodies into the river.

Prince's body was later recovered, while Srishti's body could not be found after being swept away by the river's strong currents.

The case came to light after local residents became suspicious of the movements of the accused near the river. Villagers chased them, caught them, allegedly assaulted them and later handed them over to the police.

Based on a complaint filed by the children's father, Pramod Kumar Safi, Ghoghardiha police registered an FIR on Jul 10, 2023. Both accused have remained in judicial custody since Jul 11, 2023.

During the trial, Public Prosecutor Dev Shankar Jha argued that the murders had shaken society's conscience and sought the maximum punishment. Jagdish Prasad Yadav and Balram Yadav represented the complainant, while Baleshwar Gurmaita and Shivchandra Kumar appeared for the defence.

Relying on witness testimonies, circumstantial evidence and documentary records, the court found both accused guilty.

In its 28-page judgment, the court observed that the mother, who was expected to protect and nurture her children, had joined hands with her lover to brutally murder them. Calling the act "extremely cruel, inhuman and shocking", the court ruled that the offence satisfied the "rarest of rare" doctrine, warranting the death penalty.

The duo was convicted under Sections 302 and 201 read with Section 34 of the IPC.

The trial lasted nearly three years before the verdict was pronounced.

Reacting to the judgment, Jagdish Prasad Yadav, associate of the special public prosecutor, described it as a historic decision. He said the mother, entrusted with the care and safety of her children, had strangled them with the help of her lover, making it one of the most heinous crimes in society that deserved the harshest punishment.

The defence lawyers said they respected the court's decision.

The verdict was welcomed by several people present in the court complex, with many lawyers describing it as a strong message that no relationship can be placed above the lives of innocent children.

The children's father, Pramod Kumar Safi, who is currently residing in Haryana, said he broke down after learning about the judgment.

"The court has delivered justice. Now I only hope that the sentence is carried out at the earliest," he said.

Pramod said he married Anita in 2018 and had no knowledge of her alleged relationship with Jai Prakash. He was working in Kolkata when he was informed that his wife had left home with the children in July 2023.

After searching for them for nearly a week, police informed him that Anita and her lover had allegedly murdered the children.

Although he has since remarried and is now the father of a six-month-old son, Pramod said the loss of Prince and Srishti continues to haunt him.

"I always believed justice would come, even if it took time," he added.

Under Indian law, a death sentence awarded by a trial court must be confirmed by the High Court before it can be executed.

The trial court records and judgment will now be forwarded to the Patna High Court for confirmation. The two convicts are also expected to be shifted from Jhanjharpur sub-jail to a central prison, as prisoners serving sentences exceeding five years are generally not lodged in sub-jails.

The legal process will proceed further only after the High Court confirms the death sentence.