Kerala: Man gets death sentence for murdering man and raping his wife

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A local court here has awarded death sentence to a man for brutally killing a 45-year-old man and then raping his wife. The sentence was pronounced by additional sessions judge - II Mini S Das.

The crime took place at koliyoor under Kovalam police station limits in the city in July 2016. Anilkumar alias Kolusu Binu of Vattappara was found guilty of charges of house trespass (IPC 449), murder (IPC 302), attempt to murder (IPC 307), robbery (IPC 397) and rape by inflicting injuries which causes death of the woman or causes the woman to be in persistent vegitative state (IPC 376 A). The judge also imposed a cumulative penalty of Rs 1.75 lakh on the convict for different charges.

The second accused Chandrasekharan alias Chandra of Sandaimedu in Tamil Nadu was given life sentence by the court. He was accused of house trespass, murder, attempt to murder and robbery and was found guilty of all the charges. The judge has imposed a penalty of Rs 1 lakh on him.

The crime pertaining to the case took place during the early hours of July 7, 2016. The victims in the case, a 45-year-old mason and his 42-year-old wife, who were fast asleep in their residence at Koliyoor under Kovalam police station limits, were brutally attacked by the two accused. The husband died instantly after being bludgeoned on head using a sledgehammer and an iron rod. The wife was also attacked in the same manner, but Anilkumar went on to rape her. She fell into a comatose state owing to severe brain damage following the incident. Even though she regained consciousness later, she never regained her memory. The two accused then robbed the victim’s gold ornaments and other valuables from the house. The couple’s children, who were sleeping in their room found out about the crime only when they woke up hours later.

Special public prosecutor V S Vineeth Kumar appeared before the court on behalf of the prosecution. The crime did not have any eyewitnesses and Vineeth Kumar could prove the charges against the accused before the court based on circumstantial and scientific evidence provided by the investigation team.

The prosecution’s case was that it was the lust the first accused Anilkumar had for the rape victim that led to the crime. He used to be their neighbour and maintained a good relationship with them. But, they fell out after Anilkumar made advances to the victim, which she resisted. He nursed this grudge for one and a half years before planning and executing the crime.