Man gets life term for killing wife over girl child

The sessions court on Wednesday held a 30-year-old man guilty of killing his wife as she gave birth to a girl child. The court presided over by judge UB Hejib thus sentenced him to life imprisonment.

According to the prosecution case, the incident happened on October 5, 2012, when the Sion hospital authorities informed the police that they found a body of a woman who had strangulation marks around her neck. After investigation, the police arrested Anil Kumar Kanojia, the husband of the deceased. On preliminary inquiry, Kanojia informed the police that his wife died due to illness. However, the police later found that Kanojia wanted a baby boy but as his wife gave birth to a girl child. In a fit of rage, he killed her. The couple had already had two girls.

Public prosecutor Shankar Erande said, "The post-mortem report showed she had been strangulated and the deposition of three neighbours were crucial to prove that Kanojia murdered his wife."

The prosecution examined seven witnesses in the case. While Kanojia was convicted, his father was acquitted by the court. His father had been booked on the charge of harassment as the police stated that he would also taunt the deceased about her inability to bear a boy.