Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Court commutes death sentence after brutal wife stabbing
A man attacked his wife three days after she had a baby.
He stabbed her 49 times, and their six-year-old daughter saw what happened.
He also tried to kill the daughter by cutting her throat.
A court said the crime was extremely cruel and serious.
However, the court decided that the law did not allow the death penalty in this case.
Instead, the man was sentenced to life in prison.
He must spend at least 35 years in prison before officials can consider reducing his sentence.
The court also ordered money to help support the couple’s two daughters.
The money will be kept for them until they become adults.
The Orissa High Court replaced a husband’s death sentence with life imprisonment.
The man stabbed his wife 49 times three days after she gave birth and attempted to slit their six-year-old daughter’s throat.
The court called the attack extremely barbaric and brutal but said it did not meet the “rarest of rare” standard.
The prisoner must serve at least 35 years before remission can be considered, with time already served counted.
The state must pay Rs 10 lakh each to the two daughters, in addition to Rs 5 lakh awarded by the DLSA.
- Who
- A husband convicted of murdering his wife and attempting to kill their six-year-old daughter; the Orissa High Court decided his sentence.
- What
- The court commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment with no remission consideration before 35 years of custody.
- When
- The court order was issued on August 25, four years after the attack.
- Where
- The case was decided by the Orissa High Court.
- Why
- The court found the crime extremely brutal but concluded it did not meet the “rarest of rare” threshold for capital punishment, while also considering the children’s future.
- Victim’s condition
- The woman had given birth three days before the attack.
- Attack
- The husband stabbed his wife 49 times and attempted to slit their six-year-old daughter’s throat.
- Sentence
- Death sentence commuted to life imprisonment.
- Minimum custody
- At least 35 years must be served before remission can be considered.
- Additional compensation
- The state must pay Rs 10 lakh each to the two daughters.
- Earlier compensation
- The DLSA had awarded Rs 5 lakh, to be kept in fixed deposits until the daughters reach majority.
- Court’s assessment
- The attack was described as extremely barbaric and brutal, but not legally within the “rarest of rare” category.