In the case in Udaipur, Judge Rahul Choudhary stated that the murder was "one of the rarest of the rare cases," emphasizing that it was considered a "crime against humanity." Prosecutor Dinesh Paliwal called the decision "historic" and said it was sent to a higher court for approval. The defendant has the right to appeal within 30 days. The defendant's lawyer, Surendra Kumar Menariya, maintained that his client was innocent and that the decision would be overturned on appeal.
Before her death, Lakshmi, who married Kishandas in 2016, gave statements to the police, doctors, and a magistrate saying her husband demeaned her for her "dark complexion" and called her "kali" (a Hindi word for dark or black).
On the night of June 24, 2017, she stated that her husband applied a brown liquid to her body, claiming it would "lighten her skin." When she commented that the liquid smelled like acid, he set her on fire with an incense stick. As her body began to burn, the defendant reportedly poured the remaining liquid on her and fled. Lakshmi was taken to the hospital by her family but later died.
The ruling has reignited debates in India about the obsession with lighter skin and discrimination against women with darker complexions. Activists state that similar tragedies could occur if these prejudices persist.
