Man Gets Life Term For Axing Wife Over Character Doubts In Beed

Beed: A man who brutally murdered his wife with an axe over suspicions about her character has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Kaij Additional District and Sessions Court on Wednesday.

The murder took place on February 7, 2023, at around 3:30 pm at Chausa Vasti in Dhakephal, in Kaij tehsil. The accused, Bhagwan Shahurao Thorat (33), allegedly attacked his wife, Aarti Bhagwan Thorat (22), with an axe, inflicting severe blows to her chest and neck, leading to her death on the spot.

After committing the crime, the accused reportedly left the weapon near the body and went directly to Yusufwadgaon Police Station, where he confessed to killing his wife.

Based on a complaint lodged by the victim’s brother, Ajay Pawar, the police registered a murder case against the accused. Following the completion of the investigation, a chargesheet was filed before the court.

During the trial, the prosecution established the offence through witness testimonies, circumstantial evidence, and medical reports. The court accepted the statements of nine witnesses presented by the prosecution.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Additional District and Sessions Judge Sudhir Bhajipale on Wednesday sentenced the accused to life imprisonment. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000, with an additional six months’ imprisonment in case of default.

Notably, the conviction was secured despite the absence of any eyewitness, relying primarily on strong circumstantial evidence.

The defence had claimed that an unknown person committed the murder, but the court rejected the argument, emphasising that the deceased was last seen in the company of her husband.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Adv. Ram Birangal, along with assisting counsel Adv. Ravikumar Udar and woman police constable Bhalerao, played key roles in conducting the prosecution.