Man sentenced to death for skin-color obsession murder
Kishan Lal has been sentenced to death for murdering his wife, Laxmi, in Udaipur back in 2017.
After years of harassing her over her skin color and weight, Lal convinced Laxmi to use a chemical he claimed would lighten her skin—then set her on fire using that same chemical and an incense stick.
Lal was also found guilty of domestic violence
Even with severe burns, Laxmi managed to give a detailed statement before she died, which became key evidence.
Fourteen witnesses supported her account.
The Mavli court found Lal guilty of murder under Section 302 of the IPC and called his actions "deliberate" and among the "rarest of rare" crimes.
He was sentenced to hang (pending High Court confirmation), fined ₹50,000, and given one year of rigorous imprisonment.
The judge also rejected claims that he acted under provocation or mental illness, calling out the deep-rooted prejudice behind the crime.