{"id":1877,"date":"2025-11-28T17:04:51","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T11:34:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shoneekapoor.com\/legal-news\/?p=1877"},"modified":"2025-11-28T17:02:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T11:32:36","slug":"mother-sentenced-for-killing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoneekapoor.com\/legal-news\/mother-sentenced-for-killing\/","title":{"rendered":"Mother Sentenced to Death for Killing 11-Year-Old Daughter After Child Saw Her With Lover: Bihar Court"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An Araria court awarded the death penalty to 35-year-old Poonam Devi for poisoning and nearly beheading her minor daughter after the child witnessed her with another man. The judge said the crime \u201cshakes the conscience of society\u201d and falls into \u201cthe rarest of the rare.\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Mother Sentenced to Death for Killing Daughter<\/em>:<\/strong> In a shocking case that has deeply disturbed Bihar, the District Additional Sessions Judge-IV of Araria<\/strong>, Justice Rabi Kumar<\/a><\/strong>, on Thursday (Nov 27) gave the death sentence<\/strong> to 35-year-old Poonam Devi<\/strong>, holding her guilty of murdering her 11-year-old daughter, Shivani<\/strong>, on the night of 11 July 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The courtroom was full when the judge announced that the manner in which Poonam poisoned and almost beheaded her own child clearly placed the case in \u201cthe rarest of the rare\u201d<\/strong> category under Indian criminal law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Govt. Additional Public Prosecutor Prabha Kumari<\/strong>, the case started when young Shivani accidentally saw her mother in a compromising situation with a man from their village. Shocked by what she saw, the child quietly said she would tell her father when he returned from Punjab, where he worked to support the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fearing that her secret would be exposed, Poonam decided to eliminate her daughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The APP said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe love, affection, and sacred bond of motherhood dissolved and collapsed before the convict\u2019s immoral, unsocial and clandestine lust for her paramour. In this gruesome act, motherhood itself stood defeated and disgraced.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

As per the prosecution, Poonam mixed a highly toxic organophosphorus pesticide<\/strong> into her daughter\u2019s food. When Shivani became unconscious from the poison, Poonam then slit her throat<\/strong>. With help from her lover, she hid the girl\u2019s body in a maize field behind their house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the trial, the court examined five prosecution witnesses<\/strong> and 12 documentary exhibits<\/strong>, which included the post-mortem report and the Forensic Science Laboratory\u2019s viscera analysis that clearly confirmed the presence of poison. The court observed that the murder showed extreme brutality and a complete moral collapse by the accused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shockingly, none of Shivani\u2019s close relatives reported the crime. Instead, a villager stepped forward as a Good Samaritan<\/strong> and informed the police. On the basis of his written complaint, Narpatganj Police registered the FIR, and the case was sent for a fast-track trial<\/strong>, which concluded with Thursday\u2019s sentencing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While announcing the punishment, Judge Rabi Kumar said that the horrifying act committed by the mother against her own child \u201cshakes the conscience of society\u201d<\/strong> and therefore deserves the strictest penalty allowed by law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The case was registered at Narpatganj Police Station (Thana), Araria<\/strong>. The FIR \/ \u201c\u0925\u093e\u0928\u093e \u0915\u093e\u0902\u0921\u201d<\/strong> number is 380\/2023<\/strong>. The murder-trial (sessions court) case number is 582\/2023<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This judgment has once again raised serious questions on increasing cases of family-related violence and the shocking lengths to which individuals go to hide their personal secrets\u2014even at the cost of innocent lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explanatory Legal Table Of All Laws \/ Sections Used In This Case<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Law \/ Section<\/strong><\/td>Full Name<\/strong><\/td>Explanation in Simple Words<\/strong><\/td>How It Applies in This Case<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
IPC \u2013 Section 302<\/strong><\/td>Murder<\/td>Killing a person knowingly and intentionally.<\/td>Poonam Devi poisoned and slit the throat of her 11-year-old daughter, which is intentional homicide.<\/td><\/tr>
IPC \u2013 Section 120B<\/a><\/strong> (likely applied due to involvement of paramour)<\/em><\/td>Criminal Conspiracy<\/td>When two or more people plan a crime together.<\/td>She and her lover jointly hid the body; this shows conspiracy.<\/td><\/tr>
IPC \u2013 Section 201<\/strong><\/td>Causing Disappearance of Evidence<\/td>Hiding, destroying or manipulating evidence of a crime.<\/td>The body was hidden in a maize field to cover the murder.<\/td><\/tr>
Indian Evidence Act<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\u2013<\/td>Law for admissibility of evidence.<\/td>Post-mortem, FSL viscera report, witness statements were admitted under this Act.<\/td><\/tr>
CrPC \u2013 Section 173<\/strong><\/td>Police Report \/ Chargesheet<\/td>Police files a complete investigation report before trial.<\/td>Narpatganj Police Station filed the chargesheet for fast-track trial.<\/td><\/tr>
CrPC \u2013 Section 309<\/strong><\/td>Speedy Trial<\/td>Court must hold the trial without unnecessary delays.<\/td>Case proceeded under fast-track trial rules.<\/td><\/tr>
CrPC \u2013 Sections 235 & 248<\/strong><\/td>Judgment and Sentencing<\/td>Court announces conviction and type of punishment.<\/td>Judge Rabi Kumar pronounced death sentence under these provisions.<\/td><\/tr>
Doctrine of \u201cRarest of Rare\u201d<\/strong><\/td>Supreme Court principle for death penalty<\/td>Death sentence only when crime is exceptionally brutal.<\/td>Judge said the manner of murder placed it in \u201cthe rarest of the rare\u201d<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>
FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory)<\/strong><\/td>\u2013<\/td>Scientific testing for poison, chemicals, viscera.<\/td>FSL viscera analysis confirmed organophosphorus poison.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Case Title<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n