From correspondents in Delhi, India, 05:32 PM IST

Voicing its disgust over the social evil of dowry death, the Supreme Court Monday observed that perpetrators of bride burning 'need to be hanged.'

The observation was made by the vacation bench of Justice Markandey Katju and Justice Deepak Verma while hearing a bail plea filed by the elder bother-in-law of the bride, burnt to death in Haryana a few years ago.

Without granting any relief to the accused Prem Kumar Gulati of burning his brother's wife in collusion with his brother and mother, the bench deferred the hearing on his lawsuit to a later date after summer vacation.

'People like you need to be hanged, You behave like junglee (animal),' Justice Katju rebuked the petitioner Gulati as his counsel pleaded for interim bail for his client.

As the counsel pleaded saying that it was case of suicide and not bride burning, Justice Katju said: 'They all say that. Every time they burn a bride, they say it was a suicide.'

'On one hand they regard women as devi (goddess), on the other hand they burn them alive. This is against the norms of civilized society. It's barbaric,' said Justice Katju.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)