Kerala Nenmara murder case: Court sentences Chenthamara to double life imprisonment

Palakkad, October 18 (IANS). In a historic verdict in the Nenmara Pothundi Sajitha murder case, a Kerala court on Saturday sentenced the sole accused Chenthamara to double life imprisonment. This sentence is related to Sajita murder (2019). Along with life imprisonment, the court also imposed a total fine of Rs 4.75 lakh. The Fourth Additional Sessions Court of Palakkad found that Chenthamara’s crime of trying to destroy evidence after the murder was sufficient to prove his guilt. He was also sentenced to five years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 for tampering with evidence. These sentences will be served concurrently. Chenthamara attacked Sajitha’s house in Nenmara in August 2019. He apparently suspected Sajitha and one of her neighbors of creating discord in Chenthamara’s family. At that time, Sajitha’s children were in school and her husband had gone to Tamil Nadu. After getting bail in this case, Chenthamara committed a double murder on January 27. After she got out of jail, her husband and Sajita’s mother-in-law were also brutally murdered. After this, the court canceled his bail. Sajitha’s children, Athulya and Akhila, who were in court, said they were happy with the verdict. Both the girls said: “We were in court and were scared to see him. We don’t want him to get bail again.” The trial, which lasted six years, included testimony from 50 people, including Chenthamara’s wife, who confirmed that the murder weapon was kept at home and that he had abused her mentally and physically over a long period of time. The available evidence, forensic reports and more than 30 official documents were decisive in securing the conviction. The family members have already expressed concern for their safety over the release of the accused and demanded maximum punishment. Following this verdict, the authorities are preparing to launch a separate trial for the Nenmara double murder of Chenthamara. Palakkad Superintendent of Police Ajit Kumar said that the double murder case is progressing rapidly. The violent incidents in Chenthamara shocked the local community. This decision of the court provided relief to the families of the victims, and also strengthened the accountability of the legal framework in cases of premeditated plans and repeated violent crimes. –IANS KR/