Chandigarh, Sept. 24 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday commuted death sentence of a Ludhiana woman convicted of killing a toddler in 2021, to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment without premature release The convict, Neelam (32), was awarded death penalty by a trial court in April 2024.

Neelam kidnapped the child on November 28, 2021, took her on a scooter to a secluded place and buried her alive in the Shimlapuri area of the city. Prosecution had claimed that convict had a longstanding feud with victim's family members.

"..the present case, even though the offence is gruesome and displace totality, however, it may not be a case warranting capital punishment as the only punishment to be imposed. It cannot be held by this c...