Alcoholic mason gets lifer for torching wife to death in Telangana

HYDERABAD: The Bhongir Principal District Court Judge V Bala Bhaskara Rao on Friday sentenced a man to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of murdering his wife. B Mahesh, a resident of Rajapet in Yadadri-Bhongir District, was also fined Rs 10,000.

According to Rachakonda police, B Mahesh (35) and Barige Shivani (30) were married for 13 years and had three children together. As per the charges proved against him, Mahesh used to physically and psychologically abuse his wife Shivani, suspecting her character.

Mahesh used to work as a mason but was addicted to alcohol consumption. His family relocated to Jaala village for survival around six months before the incident due to alcohol issues and his absence from work. On April 24, 2016, Mahesh picked up a fight with Shivani after she returned home from her coolie work and began assaulting her. In a fit of rage, he doused his wife with kerosene and set her ablaze. With Shivani running out of her house engulfed in flames, neighbours came to her rescue and put out the fire by pouring water on her. She was shifted to Gandhi hospital.

On December 24, 2016, the Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad informed the Rajampet police that Shivani was admitted at their hospital with burn injuries. The police recorded her statement before she succumbed to the burns on January 3, 2017 while receiving treatment at Gandhi Hospital.

A case was registered at Rajapet PS under the relevant sections in response to a complaint. A charge sheet was filed in the court leading to Mahesh's conviction.