21 Women on Death Row in India: Why Muskan Rastogi Won't Be Hanged Anytime Soon

21 of country's 571 death row prisoners are women, including nine from Uttar Pradesh. Their cases range from family murders and child killings to terrorism-related offences. While some sentences have been upheld by higher courts, others are still awaiting confirmation or decisions on appeals.

The death sentences handed to Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla in Meerut's infamous Blue Drum murder case have brought renewed attention to India's death row prisoners. Although a court has sentenced the two accused to death for gruesome murder of Saurabh Rajput in March 2025, the verdict does not mean their execution will take place immediately. Further legal proceedings can follow before a death sentence is carried out.

According to a report by The Indian Express, citing research on India's death row population, 571 prisoners were awaiting execution, including 21 women. Their cases range from family murders and child killings to terrorism-related offences. While some sentences have been upheld by higher courts, others are still awaiting confirmation or decisions on appeals.

The figures highlight a key distinction in India's criminal justice system: receiving a death sentence and being executed are two separate stages.

9 Of India's 21 Women On Death Row Are From UP

Uttar Pradesh accounts for nine of the 21 women reported to be on death row, making it the state with the largest share of women facing capital punishment.

The remaining women are from Kerala, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Their cases are at different stages of the judicial process and not every death sentence has received confirmation from the relevant High Court.

Among the cases awaiting further legal proceedings are those of Geeta Devi, Jaldhara, Roopa Singh, Nazima and Hasima, according to the report.

The reported figures reflect the cases covered by the research and should not be interpreted as meaning that all 21 women have exhausted their legal options.

Shabnam: Death Sentence Upheld, But No Execution

Shabnam's case is among India's most widely discussed death penalty cases involving a woman.

She was convicted in connection with the murder of seven members of her family in Uttar Pradesh in 2008. A trial court sentenced her to death in 2010. The Allahabad High Court upheld the sentence in 2013 and the Supreme Court rejected her appeal in 2015.

Her review petition was also dismissed, and her mercy petitions were rejected. Despite these developments, she has not been executed.

Her case highlights how a death sentence can remain unimplemented even after several major legal challenges have been decided. The process also involves safeguards governing the execution of a prisoner, rather than an automatic move from a final court ruling to the gallows.

Fehmida, Sonam Dagar And Kiran Bai Have Waited Years

Several other women have spent more than a decade under death sentences.

Fehmida Sayyed was sentenced to death in 2009 for her role in the 2003 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case. The Bombay High Court confirmed her sentence in 2012, but her appeal remains pending before the Supreme Court, according to Indian Express report.

Sonam Dagar received a death sentence in 2014 for multiple murders. Her sentence was upheld by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, but the Supreme Court stayed her execution in 2018.

Kiran Bai was also sentenced to death in 2014. Her sentence was upheld by the Chhattisgarh High Court and later by the Supreme Court. However, her mercy petition was reported to be pending before the state Governor.

These cases are examples that the reasons for delays differ. An appeal may remain unresolved, an execution may be stayed by a court, or a mercy petition may still be awaiting a decision.

Why Is A Death Sentence Not Carried Out Immediately?

In India, a trial court's death sentence must be confirmed by the relevant High Court before it can be executed. The High Court examines the case and the punishment rather than simply treating the trial court's decision as final.

A prisoner can then pursue further remedies, including an appeal before the Supreme Court and, where legally available, review and curative petitions. A convict may also seek mercy from the Governor or the President under their respective constitutional powers.

The execution process must follow the applicable legal procedures and safeguards. These steps can take considerable time, particularly when appeals or mercy petitions remain pending.

What Happens Next In The Blue Drum Murder Case?

Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla received death sentences from a Meerut court after a trial lasting around 13 months, involving 127 hearings and more than 22 witness testimonies.

However, the verdict does not mean their execution is imminent. The death sentences must undergo the required judicial confirmation process and further legal remedies may be pursued.

The reported 21 women on death row provide a wider picture of how capital punishment works in India. A death sentence is a severe judicial penalty, but its implementation depends on the completion of the legally prescribed process in each individual case.

(With inputs from agencies)