Telangana: Woman's death sentence overturned due to mental illness
India
The Telangana High Court has overturned Banothu Bharathi's death penalty for killing her infant daughter in 2021, saying she acted under severe mental illness and not criminal intent.
Bharathi, who believed her baby was a snake, had earlier been sentenced to death by a lower court in 2025.
Mental health missed in trial; care now prioritized
The High Court pointed out that the original trial ignored Bharathi's long-standing schizophrenia diagnosis and evidence of psychosis.
While she's now acquitted, the court decided she isn't ready to return to society yet—so instead of prison, she'll be moved to a mental health institute for ongoing treatment and safety.