Kerala man gets life term for murdering woman

Palakkad (Kerala): A court here on Saturday awarded life imprisonment to a 54-year-old man for murdering a woman at Ponthundi near Nenmara in 2019.

The Additional District and Sessions Court-IV Judge, Kenneth George, sentenced life imprisonment to Chenthamara under IPC Sections 302 (murder) and 449 (house trespass).

The court also sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment under IPC Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and imposed a total fine of Rs 3.15 lakh for various offences.

The sentences will run concurrently.

As recovery of the fine amount from the convict is unlikely, the court instructed the District Legal Services Authority to provide financial assistance to the deceased family.

According to the prosecution, in 2019, Chenthamara hacked to death Sajitha (36), wife of Sudhakaran, at Ponthundi near Nenmara.

After being released on bail, he allegedly killed 53-year-old Sudhakaran and his mother Lakshmi (72), in broad daylight near their home earlier this year.

Police said that Chenthamara harboured animosity towards Sudhakaran’s family, believing that his wife and children had left him due to their interference.

Sajitha’s two daughters, Athuliya and Akhila, who were present in court to hear the verdict, said they were satisfied with the judgment.

“Our only demand is that he should never be released. We are afraid of what might happen if he comes out. We hope he receives the maximum punishment in the double-murder case,” they said.

A relative of the family said the orphaned children should be protected and supported by the government. “They have no one to look after them.