Saturday, March 29, 2025
A district court in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, sentenced 80-year-old Nisar Jahan to life imprisonment. The court found her guilty of burning her son-in-law, Akil Ahmad, alive in 2007. Judge Devendranath Singh also fined her ₹20,000. Police immediately took her into custody.
Akil Ahmad worked as a head constable in the PAC, Sitapur. He was married to Shaheen, daughter of Ehtesham from Sundarwal village. Shaheen and her family pressured Akil to live separately. On December 21, 2007, Shaheen got burnt in an accident while warming herself. Her toddler accidentally pushed her into a fire. Akil took her to the hospital and informed her parents. He also spent heavily on her treatment.
On February 6, 2008, Akil’s in-laws called him to Lakhimpur, claiming Shaheen was unwell. Once he arrived, they forced him to bring dowry items from Sitapur and agree to a divorce. Akil called his brother Khalil and shared his fears. That night, police informed Khalil that Akil had died. When he reached Lakhimpur, he found Akil’s burnt body in a bathroom.
Khalil filed an FIR against eight members of Shaheen’s family. These included her parents, siblings, and other relatives. Police filed charges against six of them after investigation. During the trial, two key accused—Ehtesham and Aslam—died. The prosecution presented multiple witnesses to prove the case.
The court convicted Nisar Jahan for Akil’s murder. It acquitted the other accused due to lack of evidence. Since Aslam had already passed away, only Nisar received punishment. She was sent to jail immediately after the verdict.
80-year-old woman life sentence underscores delayed justice
This rare conviction of an elderly woman in a decades-old case highlights that justice, though delayed, was not denied.
