By Elizabeth Godwin
A court in India has sentenced a man to death after finding him guilty of burning his wife alive because of her dark skin, in a ruling that has drawn national attention to issues of colourism and violence against women.
The convict, identified as Kishandas from the northwestern village of Navaniya, had routinely taunted his wife, Lakshmi, for being “dark skinned” before her murder in June 2017, according to evidence presented at the District Court in Udaipur.
Judge Rahul Choudhary, who delivered the sentence, described the killing as falling within the category of the “rarest of the rare,” calling it “a crime against humanity” and one that “shocks the conscience of society.”
Before her death, Lakshmi gave statements to police and medical staff, in which she recounted how her husband called her “kali” — meaning dark-skinned — and body-shamed her regularly. On the night of her death, Kishandas allegedly told her he had brought a “medicine” to lighten her skin. He applied the liquid to her body before setting her ablaze with an incense stick. Lakshmi later died in hospital from severe burns.
Public prosecutor Dinesh Paliwal hailed the ruling as “historic,” saying he hoped it would serve as a lesson to others. However, Kishandas’ lawyer, Surendra Kumar Menariya, has maintained his client’s innocence, claiming Lakshmi’s death was accidental and promising to appeal the judgment.
The case has renewed debate around entrenched colourism in India, where lighter skin is often associated with higher caste status. Activists say such biases fuel bullying and the booming market for skin-lightening products.
Violence against women also remains widespread. A 2024 case in Amritsar saw a six-months-pregnant woman, known as Pinky, allegedly burned alive by her husband after a domestic dispute. Rights groups warn that such cases highlight systemic failures to protect women from intimate partner violence.
