Woman, lover sentenced to death by Bihar court for killing her two children

A court in Bihar's Jhanjharpur, in a landmark verdict, has sentenced a woman and her lover to death for the murder of her two young children, ruling that the crime fell into the “rarest of rare” category.

The verdict, delivered by District and Additional Sessions Judge-II Abhishek Ranjan, 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 convicts were sentenced to death under Section 302 of the IPC and fined Rs 50,000 each. They were also awarded seven years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 201/34 for destroying evidence, along with a fine of Rs 10,000 each.

CHILDREN KILLED TO CLEAR PATH FOR RELATIONSHIP

According to the prosecution, Anita, wife of Pramod Kumar Safi of Narhi village in Madhubani district's Andhramath police station area, left home with her two children on July 3, 2023. When she failed to return, her family began searching for them.

Investigators later alleged that Anita and Jai Prakash Mandal had conspired to eliminate the children because they viewed them as an obstacle to living together. The prosecution said the duo took the children near the Balan River under the pretext of visiting Anita's maternal home, strangled them and threw their bodies into the river.

While the body of Prince was recovered, Srishti was swept away by the river's strong currents and could not be found.

VILLAGERS CAUGHT ACCUSED, HANDED THEM TO POLICE

The crime came to light when local residents reportedly grew suspicious of the pair's movements near the river. Villagers chased them, caught them, assaulted them and later handed them over to police.

An FIR was registered at Ghoghardiha police station on July 10, 2023, on the complaint of the children's father, Pramod Kumar Safi. Both accused have remained in judicial custody since July 11, 2023.

During the trial, Public Prosecutor Dev Shankar Jha described the killings as a crime that shook society's conscience and sought the maximum punishment. Lawyers Jagdish Prasad Yadav and Balram Yadav represented the complainant, while Baleshwar Gurmaita and Shivchandra Kumar appeared for the defence.

COURT CALLS CRIME 'EXTREMELY CRUEL AND INHUMAN'

Relying on witness testimonies, circumstantial evidence and documentary proof presented by the prosecution, the court held both accused guilty.

In its judgment, the court observed that the very mother entrusted with the care and protection of her children had joined hands with her lover to brutally kill them.

Calling the act “extremely cruel, inhuman and shocking,” the court ruled that the case met the threshold of the “rarest of rare” doctrine, making capital punishment the appropriate sentence.

The 28-page judgment convicted the duo under Sections 302 and 201 read with Section 34 of the IPC.

THREE-YEAR TRIAL ENDS IN HISTORIC VERDICT

The trial lasted nearly three years before the court pronounced its verdict.

Reacting to the judgment, special public prosecutor's associate Jagdish Prasad Yadav called it a historic decision.

“The mother, who is considered above all and responsible for the upbringing and safety of her children, strangled them along with her lover. This is among the most heinous crimes in society. The harshest punishment alone can deliver justice in such cases,” he said.

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

The verdict was welcomed by many present in the court complex, where people reportedly applauded after the judgment was announced. Several lawyers described it as a strong message that no relationship can be valued above the lives of innocent children.

FATHER SAYS JUSTICE HAS FINALLY BEEN DELIVERED

The children's father, Pramod Kumar Safi, who is currently living in Haryana, said he broke down when informed about the verdict.

“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 was unaware of her alleged relationship with another man. He was working in Kolkata when he learned that his wife had left home with the children in July 2023.

After a week-long search, police informed him that the children had allegedly been murdered by Anita and her lover.

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

“I always believed justice would come, even if it took time,” he said.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

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

Court records and the judgment will now be sent to the Patna High Court for confirmation. The two convicts are also expected to be transferred from Jhanjharpur sub-jail to a central prison, as prisoners serving sentences of more than five years are generally not housed in sub-jails.

Only after the High Court confirms the sentence will the next stage of the legal process begin.