The case of Roop Kanwar Sati is one of the most important legal cases to have ever shaken India in the late 1980s. Apart from exposing the heinous practice of sati, or widow immolation, it brought about formidable legal reforms and retrospection into the rights and status of widows in Indian society. Although this case does not directly concern divorce, it deals with the wider issues related to women's rights regarding marriage and widowhood in India. In September 1987, Roop Kanwar, an 18-year-old widow in Deorala, a village in the state of Rajasthan, was allegedly forced to become sati, which involved immolation on the funeral pyre of a husband. The incident caused a national uproar as many people believed Kanwar was forced into committing sati by the local community. This case brought to light an incarnation of the intersection between traditional customs and religious belief and the legal system in India, setting off a debate over women's rights and the role of the state in regulating personal practices. The incident led to the arrest of many persons, including members of Kanwar's family and local villagers, on charges of aiding and abetting the act of sati. However, it proved to be a tough case. There were contradictory testimonies, and the community as a whole supported the practice, considering it as an act of devotion rather than a heinous crime. These factors made it very hard for prosecution to present evidence and achieve convictions. It was in 1996, nearly a decade after the incident, that the 11 accused were acquitted due to lack of evidence. The court's verdict was largely seen as a failure on the part of the legal system in relation to women's rights and challenging age-old patriarchal norms. Contrary to that, this case brought in serious legal reforms despite the acquittal. The most striking outcome of the movement was the passing of the Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987 in which sati system was declared illegal and its practice is a criminal offense. In addition, the Act also declared illegal and punishable the act of glorifying sati, hence encompassing the offence committed by people who abet or support the practice. The Roop Kanwar case is a grim pointer to the still uphill task of implementing laws for women's protection in the face of deeply-entrenched cultural practices. It brought to the forefront the requirement of more stringent legislation to protect vulnerable sections like women against detrimental traditional practices. Although the case did not directly relate to divorce, it brought into focus some of the most important questions that were then arising about women's rights in India within marriage and following the death of a husband. It brought home to those concerned the need for legal intervention to secure women's rights and dignity while fighting oppressive customs and bringing about social reform. Viewed from this perspective, the case was an integral part of the legal history of India, and its reverberations continue to be felt in contemporary discourse on women's rights and legal reform in that country.