Preparations have begun in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura jail to hang a woman convicted, along with her lover, of killing seven members of her family. She was found guilty by a lower court, the decision was upheld by the Supreme Court and her mercy petition was rejected by the President. This will be the first time a woman will be executed in India.

The woman on death row is Shabnam Ali, 38, from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh. She, in collusion with her lover Salim, axed seven members of her family — mother, father, two brothers, sister-in-law, cousin, and a 10-month-old nephew — in April 2008.

An official involved in the preparations told the Times of India that the Amroha sessions court, which had first sentenced Shabnam to death, has been moved for the execution of the sentence. “Mathura jail officials have been asked to start preparing,” the official said.

At the time of committing the crime, she was 25-years-old with a double MA degree. She wanted to marry Salim, a class VI dropout, but the family was against it. That is when she hatched the plan, with Salim, to kill them all.

Both were sentenced to death in 2010. Shabnam had challenged the lower court’s order in the Supreme Court but the top court had upheld the decision. After this, Shabnam and Salim sent a mercy petition to the President, but their plea got rejected.

She then filed a review petition in the top court but that was also rejected. According to legal experts, the du can seek another judicial review and can file a curative petition, which is the last resort. Shabnam is currently lodged in Bareilly jail and Salim in Agra Jail.

According to reports, Pawan Jallad of Meerut, who had executed the convicts in Nirbhaya’s gangrape-murder case, has visited Mathura jail and suggested some modifications. “I will carry out trials, check the rope, check the board whether it’s fully prepared,” he said.

The Mathura jail has the country’s only hanging house for women. Built 150 years ago, no woman has been hanged here since Independence. According to reports, the hanging house is in a dilapidated state and will need refurbishing.