Gwalior woman gets life term for killing 5-year-old son to hide extramarital affair
PTC Web Desk: In a deeply disturbing case from Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior, a local court has sentenced a woman to life imprisonment for the murder of her five-year-old son, who was allegedly killed to prevent him from revealing her extramarital relationship.
The incident dates back to April 28, 2023, when Jyoti Rathore, wife of police constable Dhyan Singh Rathore, allegedly pushed her son Jatin from the rooftop of a two-storey house. The prosecution told the court that the child had seen his mother in a compromising situation with their neighbour, Uday Indolia.
Fearing that the boy might disclose what he witnessed to his father, Jyoti reportedly took the extreme step. Jatin sustained critical injuries in the fall and died within 24 hours while undergoing treatment.
Initially, the child’s death was recorded as an accidental fall. However, suspicion began to grow within the family. About 15 days after the incident, Jyoti allegedly confessed her crime to her husband.
Dhyan Singh, already troubled by inconsistencies surrounding his son’s death, secretly recorded several audio and video conversations in which Jyoti admitted to pushing the child. He also collected CCTV footage from cameras installed at their residence.
Based on this material evidence, Dhyan approached the police and lodged a formal complaint.
Following the investigation, the police registered a case against Jyoti Rathore and her alleged lover, Uday Indolia. A chargesheet was later filed in court.
During the trial, the court found Jyoti guilty, relying heavily on circumstantial evidence, including her confession recordings and CCTV footage. She was awarded life imprisonment for the crime.
However, the court acquitted Uday Indolia, citing insufficient evidence to establish his direct involvement in the murder.
Thatipur Police Station in-charge Kamal Kishore confirmed that the case was registered based on the husband’s complaint and supported by technical and circumstantial evidence. Government advocate Dharmendra Sharma stated that while Jyoti was convicted, the second accused was granted the benefit of doubt.
- With inputs from agencies
