The unremarkable town of Diodar in Banaskantha district seldom makes headlines. But one episode and the way it culminated will be whispered as long as humankind lives there.
The incident dates back to 2000, a crime that had long lain buried in the court records.
Ishwarji Thakor, then a middle-aged man, had reportedly killed his wife, Varsha. The trial court, after examining the case, had concluded that it was not a premeditated act of murder and sentenced him to seven years under Section 304 Part-I of the Indian Penal Code.
Thakor had challenged the sentence and was granted bail in 2002, and for years, the case seemed to have faded into the legal archives.
But the state government never let the matter rest, claimed a media report. Arguing that the crime amounted to murder, it appealed to the Gujarat High Court seeking a harsher conviction.
Over two decades after the tragedy, the High Court revisited the case.
Examining the details, the bench observed that Thakor had carried a knife during the incident and had inflicted multiple blows on vital parts of his wife’s body, suggesting clear premeditation.
The court set aside the earlier conviction and sentenced Thakor to life imprisonment under Section 302 of the IPC.
The hearing also revealed a new dimension of the case: Thakor, now 50, suffers from paralysis on his right side, cannot walk independently, and depends on physiotherapy and medication for basic daily activities.
Despite his condition, the court maintained the life sentence but allowed authorities to examine his case for premature release under applicable law.
Thakor was reportedly given until March 31 to surrender to jail authorities, bringing a painful chapter of this family tragedy full circle after nearly 25 years.
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