Home / Crime and Justice / Insanity Plea Succeeds: Death Sentence Overturned
Insanity Plea Succeeds: Death Sentence Overturned
24 Jan
Summary
- Woman's death sentence for daughter's 2021 killing overturned by high court.
- Court accepted insanity plea due to paranoid schizophrenia and delusions.
- Woman to be moved to specialized mental health facility, not released.
The Telangana High Court has set aside the death sentence of a 35-year-old woman convicted of killing her seven-month-old daughter in 2021. A division bench accepted her plea of insanity, recognizing that she suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and acted under a severe delusion.
The woman believed she was afflicted by a 'serpent curse' and that a human sacrifice, influenced by social media content, would cure her. The court determined she was incapable of understanding the nature or illegality of her act at the time.
While acknowledging her past violent behavior, including an alleged attempt to kill her husband, the court prioritized public safety. She will be transferred to the Institute of Mental Health, Erragadda, for specialized care.
The court clarified that under Section 84 of the IPC, an act committed due to unsoundness of mind is not criminal. Consequently, her conviction and death sentence were deemed unsustainable, and authorities were directed to ensure her treatment and periodic supervision.
