A court in Palakkad has sentenced a 54-year-old man to life imprisonment for the murder of a woman in Ponthundi near Nenmara in 2019. The Additional District and Sessions Court-IV Judge, Kenneth George, imposed the life sentence on Chenthamara under IPC Sections 302 (murder) and 449 (house trespass). Additionally, he received a five-year sentence under IPC Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and was fined Rs 3.15 lakh for various offenses, with all sentences to run concurrently. The court noted that recovering the fine from the convict was unlikely, thus directing the District Legal Services Authority to provide financial assistance to the victim’s family. Prosecutors stated that Chenthamara fatally attacked Sajitha, 36, the wife of Sudhakaran, in 2019.
After being released on bail, he allegedly killed Sudhakaran, 53, and his mother, Lakshmi, 72, in broad daylight earlier this year. Authorities reported that Chenthamara held a grudge against Sudhakaran’s family, believing that his wife and children had abandoned him due to their interference. In court, Sajitha’s daughters, Athuliya and Akhila, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, stating their only wish is for him to remain incarcerated. They fear for their safety should he be released and hope he faces maximum punishment in the double-murder case. A family relative emphasized the need for government support to protect and care for the orphaned children.
