Bhilawara: A trial court in Tonk Wednesday sentenced three persons to life imprisonment for the murder of a 70-year-old man. The verdict not only brought justice to the victim’s family but also resonated with a poignant self-composed poem by Judge Aarti Maheshwari of the Special SC-/T Court, reflecting on the tragic loss and the moral implications of the crime.The case dates back to Feb 18, 2016, when Badrilal from in Choru village in Tonk district was strangled in his sleep by four intruders who sought to steal his earrings. The court found three of the accused—Sardar, Harji, and Girraj—guilty under two different sections, sentencing them to life imprisonment with rigorous terms and imposing a fine of Rs 75,000 each. Proceedings against the fourth accused, Shravan, were dropped due to his death. Judge Maheshwari described the murder as a “shocking incident” and appended a 16-line poem to her verdict, capturing the essence of the crime and the moral decay it represented. The poem reflects on Badrilal’s life of “70 years of labour, honesty on forehead,” and the tragic end brought by “four strangers” driven by greed. The poem questions the value of life, asking, “Is someone’s life so cheap,” and calls for stern justice, stating, “Who snatches life, should get life imprisonment.“
