Today marks a day in history that records an incident, one that not only raises questions about our justice system but also shakes our hearts. A 103-year-old man, Lakhan, son of Mangli, from Kaushambi district in Uttar Pradesh, has finally been freed after spending 43 years behind bars. But this freedom came to him when most of his life had already been confined within the walls of a prison. This is not just Lakhan’s story, but the story of millions in our country who lose a significant part of their lives waiting for justice.
Lakhan’s story began in 1977 when he was arrested in connection with a murder case. At that time, Lakhan was 60 years old, an ordinary villager with neither money nor the knowledge to fight a legal battle. In 1982, the lower court sentenced him to life imprisonment. Lakhan always maintained his innocence and filed an appeal in the Allahabad High Court that same year. But this appeal became the longest wait of his life. For 43 years, the case dragged on, and during those 43 years, Lakhan remained incarcerated in Kaushambi jail. On May 2, 2025, the Allahabad High Court finally acquitted him with honor, but by then, Lakhan was 103 years old.
Imagine, a 103-year-old man receiving freedom, but what does this freedom mean to him? The spark that once lit up his dreams is no longer in his eyes. His hands now tremble, and his voice lacks the strength that once gave him the courage to fight for his rights. Lakhan spent the golden years of his life behind bars, only because our justice system is so slow that it fails to deliver justice on time. This is not justice; it is a profound injustice inflicted upon poor and vulnerable people like Lakhan.
In our country, justice has become a distant dream, especially for those who are economically weak. Lakhan’s story is living proof of this. A poor person has neither the money to hire high-profile lawyers nor the patience to endure the lengthy court processes. People like Lakhan simply wait—hoping for justice, yearning for freedom. But this wait often consumes their entire lives. Some sell their land, some drown in debt, and some lose their lives altogether, just because they seek justice.
According to the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), as of 2023, over 4.4 crore cases were pending in Indian courts. There are only 21 judges per million people, a clear indication of how overburdened and slow our justice system is. Countless people, like Lakhan, are being crushed in the grind of this system. Is this the same country where people consider the court their last hope? Where people say, “I will go to court, and I will get justice”? But Lakhan’s story forces us to question whether this is justice or an injustice that robs someone of their entire life.
Lakhan’s release was made possible with the help of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA). As he walked out of Kaushambi jail, there was a faint smile on his face, but the pain of 43 years of waiting was clearly visible in his eyes. His family embraced him, but that embrace could not erase the suffering he had endured. Lakhan’s story compels us to ask: Is our justice system truly equal for everyone? Is it as accessible to the poor as it is to the wealthy?
It is in fact not the lack of no. Of judges as you quoted, but the worst judicial process where Honble judges do not fix responsibility on lawyers,,most advocates skip dates ,to appear in another case of his choice and client status,and clients are given date without any serious action on advocates,,even judges accept the adjournment on the request of advocates.it needs reforms in advocate act
It’s a real cruel Life , in this uncaring part of the world