Who is Shabnam- First Woman Hung in India and Facts about her case

Laelia Yang February 18, 2021 | 22:09

Shabnam, who was convicted along with her lover Salim of murdering her family in 2008, is likely to become the first woman to be hanged in Independent India. Read this article to know more about her and her case.

Who is Shabnam- First Woman Hung in India and Facts about her case

Who is Shabnam- first woman hung in India. Photo: sentinelassam

Mathura jail is all set to witness a historic hanging. Shabnam a woman from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh will possibly be hanged for killing seven people with an ax in August 2008.

Shabnam's mercy petition has already been rejected by the Governor and President and is likely to be hanged soon after a death warrant is issued. Shabnam is presently lodged in Rampur district jail while Salim is lodged in Agra prison.

Who is Shabnam?

Shabnam Ali, who hails from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, was having an affair with Salim but her family had been against their relationship. On April 15, 2008, Shabnam's entire family was wiped out, and Shabnam had initially explained that her house in the Amroha district of UP was attacked by unidentified assailants. However, several investigations later it was found that Shabnam killed her family of seven including her young nephew. Shabnam is now set to become the first woman in the country to be hanged in independent India. But the execution date has not been finalized yet. Shabnam has a double MA in English and Geography and was a teacher at the village primary school. However, she later confessed that she made her family members drink milk laced with sedatives and thereafter strangled her little nephew to death, according to Edexlive.

What did Shabnam do?

The incident dates back to 2008, when Shabnam along with her lover Saleem, had axed to death seven of her family members on the intervening night of April 14/15. Shabnam used to live with her family in Amroha. Shabnam and Saleem were having an affair and wanted to get married. However, Shabnam's family was opposed to their marriage so the duo planned the brutal murder.

She was arrested on April 19, 2008, five days after the sensational murders, along with her lover Salim. She was seven weeks pregnant when she was arrested. She delivered a baby in December 2008. She has a double MA (English and Geography) and taught at the village primary school. Salim is a Class VI dropout who worked at a wood sawing unit outside Shabnam’s home.

During the investigation, it was found that Shabnam had abetted Saleem in the crime as she made her family members drink milk laced with sedatives before hacking them to death. She didn't even spare her little nephew who was strangulated to death. On the day of judgment, the court heard the statements of as many as 29 witnesses. The 160-page order was passed after all witnesses were asked to answer 649 questions related to the case.

The District and Sessions Court sentenced the duo to death on July 14, 2010. In 2010, the duo challenged the Sessions court's verdict in the Allahabad High Court. The HC too upheld the death sentence.

Shabnam and Saleem then approached the Supreme Court but the top court upheld the death sentence in 2015. Since all legal options had been exhausted, Shabnam then filed a mercy plea before then President Pranab Mukherjee which was rejected too. They also filed a review plea in the Supreme Court, Zeenews India cited.

Why Shabnam, her lover committed a heinous crime?

Photo: indiatimes

It may be recalled that on April 15, 2008, Shabnam who was two months pregnant, and her lover Saleem had wiped out the former’s entire family in Amroha district in Uttar Pradesh. The duo was having an affair and wanted to get married. However, the woman’s family was opposed to their marriage.

Shabnam, along with her lover, made her family members drink milk laced with sedatives before killing them. Seven members of the family, including a 10-month-old child, were then axed to death on the night of horror.

Reaction to the crime

The reaction to the multiple murders was so strong that people who had named their daughters as Shabnam had changed the names almost overnight.

Meanwhile, Shabnam’s uncle and aunt have expressed happiness at the court verdict.

“We were not at home when the carnage took place. When we went there at around 2 a.m., there was blood all around and the bodies were cut up. The crime was unpardonable,” said her uncle, refusing to disclose his name.

He further said that he would not accept the body of Shabnam after her hanging, according to Siasat.

The Proceedings Of Shabnam’s Hanging

A female hanging house was constructed in Mathura Jail 150 years ago but no female prisoner has been hanged there since Independence. According to the Senior Jail Superintendent of the Mathura jail authorities, the date of execution isn’t confirmed and fixed yet. He further added, that though the dates aren’t fixed, the jail authorities have started the preparation. Moreover, he said that the rope has been ordered. Both Shabnam and her accomplice Salim will be hanged soon as the death warrant is issued.

Shabnam and Salim’s case was heard at a court in Amroha for two years and three months. On 15 July 2010, District Judge SAA Hussaini ruled that Salim and Shabnam must be hanged till death, shethepeople reported.

Pawan Jallad to execute Shabnam, Salim

Photo: newindialife

Meanwhile, Pawan Jallad, who had executed the four accused in the Nirbhaya case in March last year, will be executing Shabnam and Salim in Mathura jail, which houses the country’s lone female execution room.

Pawan said that he had been asked to inspect the Mathura jail for the hanging and he is ready for the job even though the date for the hanging has not been set yet.

Shabnam Ali’s son makes the last attempt to save his mother

Now, her 12-year-old son Mohammed Taj urged the President to forgive his mother.

Earlier, Shabnam’s friend Usman Saifi who brought up the child said, “Taj had met his mother in Rampur jail.”

Are there other women who have been hanged in independent India or before?

Ans: The answer is no. However, Renuka Shinde and Seema Mohan Gavit, half-sisters convicted of killing five children and kidnapping 13 others between 1990 and 1996, are still on death row for their crime. The kidnapped children have never been found. A session court found them guilty of kidnapping and murdering six children. The apex court had rejected their appeal and sentenced them to death. Their mercy plea to the former President of India Pranab Mukherjee was also rejected. These women are on death row until today.

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