New Delhi: Condoling the demise of veteran playwright, actor and writer Girish Karnad on Monday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said India has lost a "beloved son" whose memory will live on in the vast treasure trove of the creative work he has left behind.

"My condolences to his family & fans around the world," Gandhi wrote on Twitter.

"Playwright, actor, director but above all a great human being, in Girish Karnad's passing India has lost a beloved son, whose memory will live on in the vast treasure trove of creative work he leaves behind," he added.

Renowned playwright, actor and Jnanpith awardee Girish Karnad, who left an indelible mark in the world of literature, theatre and cinema spanning five decades, passed away at his residence Monday morning after prolonged illness.

A multi-hyphenate personality, who often courted controversies for his vocal stance, Karnad, 81, is survived by wife Saraswathi, son Raghu Karnad, a journalist and writer, and daughter Radha.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted, "Litterateur par-excellence, actor, director, playwright and activist - the passing away of Girish Karnad shall leave an irreplaceable void in the Indian creative arena."

"My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fans. May his soul rest in peace," he added.

Calling it a "devastating loss", senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said on Twitter, "Just a few months ago he sent me the draft of his brilliant new historical play. He was at the peak of his creative talent."

"Profound condolences to his devoted wife Saras & brilliant son Raghu Karnad. A flame has been extinguished that lit up so many minds," he added.

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Bareilly (UP) (PTI): A local court here has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for murdering his mentally challenged wife by repeatedly electrocuting her while she was tied to a cot, lawyers said on Thursday.

Additional district government counsel Harendra Singh Rathore said Additional Sessions Judge Avinash Kumar Singh on Wednesday convicted Vinod Kumar (45) for killing his wife, Satyavati, in Chaina village of Bareilly district and imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on him.

According to the prosecution, he was allegedly frustrated with his wife Satyavati's mental illness and often assaulted her.

Rathore said the prosecution examined nine witnesses to establish the charges against him.

As per court records, on the night of May 1-2, 2022, when Satyavati was asleep, Vinod tied her hands and legs to a cot using ropes and then connected an aluminium cable to an electric board to repeatedly administer electric shocks to her.

"She writhed in pain, but the accused continued to electrocute her until she died," the prosecution said.

The court observed that the murder was carried out in an inhuman manner.

After committing the crime, the accused threw the rope and cable on the roof and left for work at a brick kiln around 2 am to create a false alibi.

He later tried to mislead the police and the victim's family by claiming that Satyavati, whose mental condition was unstable, had accidentally died by suicide after grabbing a live electric wire.

However, the victim's brother, Sanjeev, a resident of Shahjahanpur district, suspected foul play and lodged an FIR under sections 498A (husband subjecting wife to cruelty) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code at Nawabganj police station.

During the trial, the prosecution relied on the post-mortem report prepared by Dr Faraz Anwar, who stated that multiple electrocution marks found on different parts of the victim's body could not have been self-inflicted.

The police also recovered the rope and electric wire used in the crime on the accused's identification, officials said.