Kerala court convicts stalker who killed 23-yr-old in 2022

THE PROSECUTION ARGUED THAT THE MURDER WAS AN ACT OF REVENGE AS THE WOMAN THWARTED THE MAN’S ROMANTIC ADVANCES AND GOT CLOSE TO ANOTHER MAN

KOCHI: A Kerala court on Friday convicted a 27-year-old man for the murder of a 23-year-old woman at her residence near Panoor in Kannur district.

The court is expected to announce the quantum of punishment on May 13.

The Thalassery additional district sessions court found the accused, Shyamjith, guilty of trespassing into the home of Vishnupriya, a pharmacist, when her family members weren’t around and stabbing her to death in her bedroom at 11.50 am on October 22, 2022.

Shyamjith, a resident of Manantheri, was arrested within hours of the crime.

The murder was an act of revenge against the woman after she thwarted his romantic advances and got close to another man, the prosecution argued.

“We are happy with the verthe dict and we commend the police for its investigation. The court has made the ruling based on scientific evidence and statements of witnesses. The prosecution case was that the victim and the accused knew each other and were friends. However, after the accused’s behaviour deteriorated, the woman ended the relationship. This murder was committed by the accused as an act of revenge. It was a most brutal murder and the postmortem found 29 injuries on the body of victim.”

The CCTV footage and the accused on his bike near the home of the victim as well as that of him buying the murder weapon from a shop were submitted as evidence by the prosecution. “I dedicate this verdict to young women of our state. I have also conveyed to the court that the accused Shyamjith, as per his demeanor and behaviour during the trial in the court, is beyond reformation. He has told the police once that he was young and that even if he got a life sentence of 14 years, he would still get out of jail at the age of 39 and that he would lead a comfortable life. I have argued before the judge that the victim also deserved to live a good life which was stolen from her,” said Kumar.

“The convict does not deserve any mercy. If the court declines to give him a death sentence, the society will see it as an act of cruelty towards it,” the advocate added.