Mizoram: Woman sentenced to life imprisonment for killing husband

The judge, Dr HTC Lalrinchhana, had on December 6, convicted Mary Zothansangi for murdering her husband Dr Laltanpuia, a resident of Kulikawn locality of Aizawl under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and section 6(2) read with 5(2) of the Mizoram Liquor Prohibition Act, 2019.

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AIZAWL:

A 39-year-old woman who murdered her husband, a doctor by profession, was sentenced to undergo life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,04,000, by the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge of Aizawl judicial district on December 9.

The judge, Dr HTC Lalrinchhana, had on December 6, convicted Mary Zothansangi for murdering her husband Dr Laltanpuia, a resident of Kulikawn locality of Aizawl under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and section 6(2) read with 5(2) of the Mizoram Liquor Prohibition Act, 2019.

In his order on December 9 the judge said, "Same date in the previous year, the entire community was shocked by the gruesome murder of one reputed medical doctor, who was also known never betray any needy persons. Embarrassingly, the society was very clear that his beloved wife was the one who brutally murdered the gentle family man."

"Mary Zothansangi W/o Dr. Laltanpuia (L), Kulikawn, Aizawl is hereby sentenced u/s 302 of IPC to undergo life imprisonment with a fine of ₹ 1 lakh, in case of default, another imprisonment of one year," the court said, adding, "She is further sentenced u/s 6 (2) r/w 5 (2) of MLP Act, 2019 to undergo five months imprisonment with a fine of ₹ 4,000/-, in case of default, another period of two months imprisonment," the judge, while sentencing Zothansangi said.

Since separate and distinct transaction of two offences and viewing the brutality of the incident, sentences were directed to run consecutively.

The court further recommended that the three children of Dr Laltanpuia - two sons of 11 and 9 years and a 5-year-old daughter - should be paid adequate compensation under the Mizoram Victims of Crime Compensation Scheme, 2011.

While deceased Dr Laltanpuia was the sole bread-earner in his family, he left three innocent minor children who were totally dependent on the earnings of the deceased victim, the judge said.

"Meanwhile, the convicted accused cannot be expected to pay adequate compensation to the victims in terms of section 357 (b) of Cr PC," he said, adding, "Thus, by virtue of section 357-A (2) & (3) of Cr PC r/w para 7 (a) of the Mizoram Victims of Crime Compensation Scheme, 2011 (As amended in 2016), it is recommended that the District Legal Services Authority, Aizawl District, Aizawl shall kindly prepare and pay adequate compensation to the legal heirs of the deceased victim as per the procedure laid down in the Mizoram Victims of Crime Compensation Scheme, 2011 (As amended in 2016)."

On the night of December 9, 2020, the doctor died was stabbed with a kitchen knife at his residence in Kulikawn here. 

Neighbours found the victim, one of the co-owners of the Aizawl Hospital and Research Centre, lying in a pool of blood at his home with a stab wound on his right chest. Though he was immediately taken to hospital, he succumbed to his injury a few hours later.

As the neighbours looked around the house, they found the physician's wife smoking a cigarette inside the bathroom. She appeared to be mentally disturbed due to intoxication, eyewitnesses said.

There was no one at home, except for his wife and their three children, at the time of the incident. 

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