Darjeeling Court Sentences Man to Rigorous Life Imprisonment for Burning Mother Alive

KalimNews, September 24, 2025, Darjeeling:  The District and Sessions Court in Darjeeling on Wednesday sentenced a 40-year-old man, identified as Kailash Thapa of Takdah Cantonment, to rigorous life imprisonment for murdering his mother in November 2024 by pouring kerosene on her and setting her ablaze. The tragic case of matricide exposed the devastating consequences of alcoholism, drug abuse, and unchecked domestic violence, and has been described by the court as a brutal reminder of parental vulnerability in the face of unconditional love.

According to court records, Thapa, who was habitually under the influence of alcohol and drugs, routinely demanded money from his mother to fund his addiction. Public Prosecutor Pranay Rai informed the court that the convict was intoxicated from morning on most days and would harass his mother for money. “That fateful day too, the convict demanded money, but when he was denied, in anger he poured kerosene oil over his mother and set her on fire,” Rai said. The victim suffered 55 percent burn injuries and succumbed to her wounds at Navjiwan Hospital, Gaya Ganga, Siliguri.

The prosecution revealed that the accused had a violent past. Just three months prior to the fatal incident, in August 2024, he had assaulted his mother, breaking her hand. He had also attacked his father, who is now paralyzed and bedridden. Despite repeated abuse, his mother had shown compassion. “When neighbours found out about the incident, they nabbed him and took him to the police station, and he was jailed. However, a mother’s love is unconditional, and she rushed to the police station to bail him out,” Rai recalled, highlighting the painful irony that her maternal forgiveness ultimately cost her life.

District and Sessions Judge Jimut Bahan Biswas, after examining all evidence, testimonies, and medical reports, pronounced the punishment of rigorous life imprisonment. The case had been registered at Rangli Rangliot Police Station soon after the incident.

During the trial, Public Prosecutor Rai also issued a cautionary message to parents, stressing the importance of drawing firm boundaries when children display destructive behaviour. “In the court, I see a lot of cases where parents refuse to accept that their children are guilty of wrongdoing, when it is the other way round. My advice to parents is that they should not give in to unnecessary demands of their children or pamper them. This encourages and emboldens the children to take the wrong path,” he said.

The court’s verdict has been seen as a stern warning against the dangers of substance abuse, domestic violence, and unchecked familial exploitation. The sentencing of Thapa underscores not only the weight of justice but also the heartbreaking realities of a mother’s love overshadowed by her son’s repeated cruelty and addiction-driven rage.