An Arunachal Pradesh district court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife in 2018, bringing closure to a case that highlighted domestic violence driven by suspicion and mistrust. The Sessions Court in Itanagar held Karsang Tania guilty of killing his wife following a heated argument at their home, rejecting his defence and relying on strong medical, circumstantial, and confessional evidence.

The judgment, delivered on December 17 by Sessions Judge Dr Hirendra Kashyap and made available to the public on Saturday, sentenced Tania to rigorous life imprisonment. The court had earlier convicted him on November 13 after finding that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

According to court records, Karsang Tania and the victim had been married since 2003 and were living together in Sanglo Putung, Itanagar, along with their minor son. The prosecution said that the marriage had become strained due to the accused’s suspicion that his wife was involved in an extramarital relationship. This suspicion, the court noted, ultimately culminated in a fatal act of violence.

The incident took place on the night of March 31, 2018. As per the prosecution’s version, a heated argument broke out between the couple inside their house. During the altercation, Tania allegedly lost control, picked up an axe, and struck his wife on the head. The blow proved fatal.

After the assault, instead of seeking medical help or informing authorities, the accused attempted to conceal the crime. The court noted that Tania dumped his wife’s body at some distance from their home, along a stream. In an effort to mislead family members and neighbours, he later claimed that his wife was missing.

The crime came to light when residents in the vicinity noticed a foul smell emanating from the area near the stream. Upon investigation, locals discovered the body and alerted the police. A case was registered, and a detailed investigation was launched.

Medical evidence played a crucial role in the trial. The post-mortem report placed before the court confirmed that the woman’s death was homicidal. According to the verdict, the cause of death was fractures to the skull resulting from blunt-force trauma, consistent with the prosecution’s claim that she had been struck on the head with a heavy object.

During the investigation, police questioned Tania regarding the incident. The accused eventually confessed to the crime during interrogation. He later reiterated his confession before a judicial magistrate, where it was recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

In its judgment, the court placed significant reliance on this judicial confession. The sessions judge observed that the confession was voluntary, credible, and corroborated by other evidence on record, including medical findings and circumstantial facts. The court held that there was no indication that the confession had been obtained through coercion or inducement.

Apart from the confession, the court also examined Tania’s conduct following the incident. The judge pointed out that the accused’s actions — dumping the body, attempting to pass off the victim as missing, and absconding to forest areas and prayer centres — were inconsistent with any claim of innocence or accidental death.

The defence had argued that the accused acted in private defence, suggesting that the incident occurred during a fight and that Tania had no intention to kill his wife. However, the court firmly rejected this plea. The judge observed that the nature and severity of the injuries, particularly the fatal head trauma, clearly ruled out self-defence.

“The conduct of the accused after the incident, including attempts to conceal the crime and mislead others, clearly points to criminal intent,” the court noted. It added that a person acting in self-defence would not ordinarily attempt to dispose of a body or evade authorities.

While convicting Tania of murder, the court also deliberated on the appropriate sentence. The prosecution had sought the death penalty, arguing that the crime was brutal and involved the murder of a spouse within the confines of the home. However, the court declined to award capital punishment.

In explaining its decision, the judge took into account certain mitigating factors. These included the absence of any prior criminal antecedents against the accused and the overall circumstances in which the crime was committed. The court concluded that while the offence was grave and warranted severe punishment, it did not fall within the “rarest of rare” category that would justify the death sentence.

As a result, Tania was sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment, meaning he will spend the remainder of his natural life in prison unless granted remission under applicable laws.

The case underscores the devastating consequences of domestic violence and suspicion within marital relationships. Legal observers noted that the judgment sends a strong message that crimes committed within the privacy of the home will be dealt with firmly and that attempts to conceal such offences will only strengthen the prosecution’s case.

It also highlights the importance of medical and forensic evidence, as well as the legal weight of a properly recorded judicial confession. The court’s reliance on a combination of confession, medical findings, and post-crime conduct demonstrates how multiple strands of evidence can come together to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

For the victim’s family and the wider community, the verdict marks the end of a long legal process that began nearly eight years ago. The case serves as a reminder of the need for greater awareness, early intervention, and support mechanisms to address domestic conflicts before they escalate into irreversible acts of violence.