In a nutshell: Gajanan Haridas Gawrane has been sentenced to life in prison for murder, while his brothers, Sanjay and Mahesh, received lighter sentences for their involvement in an attack in Yavatmal.
On December 5, 2025, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court announced a decision in the case involving Gajanan Haridas Gawrane, who was found guilty of killing Durga @ Panchfula Gawrane. The incident happened on June 27, 2016, in Lohara, Yavatmal. Gajanan was sentenced to life in prison and fined Rs. 5,000. If he doesn’t pay, he will have to spend an extra six months in prison doing hard labor.
"The death of the deceased is due to injury sustained by her on the vital part of her body i.e., on the neck." — Dr. Kapildev Patil
Gajanan, along with his brothers Sanjay and Mahesh, was also accused of trying to kill Ashok and Subhash Gawrane. Both victims were badly hurt during the attack. The court sentenced the brothers to ten years in prison with hard labor and a fine of Rs. 2,000 each for their roles in the attack.
The conflict began when Mahesh accused Subhash of stealing his wallet, leading to a violent fight. Gajanan, with a knife, attacked Ashok and Subhash. Durga @ Panchfula tried to stop the attack by throwing chili powder at them but was fatally stabbed in the neck by Gajanan.
"Accused No.1/Gajanan chased her and gave a blow of knife on her neck, therefore she fell down and died on the spot."
The police quickly arrived, taking the injured to the hospital. Sunita, the daughter of the deceased, reported the incident, leading to the arrest of the accused. The investigation included witness statements, medical reports, and the recovery of the murder weapon.
The defense argued that there was no previous hostility and suggested the incident was due to a sudden argument. However, the court found the evidence against Gajanan strong, especially the medical testimony confirming the deadly nature of the injuries.
While Gajanan's conviction for murder was upheld, the court reduced the charges against Sanjay and Mahesh from attempted murder to causing harm, sentencing them to one year of simple imprisonment. They have already served a significant portion of this sentence.
"The evidence on record is not sufficient to show that they were sharing a common intention."
Gajanan Gawrane was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Durga @ Panchfula Gawrane. His brothers, Sanjay and Mahesh, received reduced sentences for their involvement, with their charges lowered to causing harm.
