India court sentences man to death for burning wife alive over skin colour

 An Indian court has sentenced a man to death for burning his wife alive after mocking her over her dark skin, in a case described by the judge as a “crime against humanity,” the BBC reported.

The victim, Lakshmi, said before her death that her husband Kishandas regularly abused her because of her complexion. In 2016, the year of their marriage, he poured a corrosive liquid on her body and set her alight with an incense stick, according to testimony. She later died in hospital.

Judge Rahul Choudhary of Udaipur called the killing one of the “rarest of the rare” cases. Prosecutor Dinesh Paliwal hailed the verdict as “historic,” saying he hoped it would serve as a warning.

The case has again highlighted India’s fixation with fair skin, where women with darker complexions often face discrimination, social stigma, and pressure to use skin-lightening products.