India News | Man Gets Life Term for Murdering Wife in Front of Children
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. A local court on Thursday sentenced a 48-year-old man to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh for murdering his wife in front of their children, police said.
Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Feb 13 (PTI) A local court on Thursday sentenced a 48-year-old man to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh for murdering his wife in front of their children, police said.
The Pathanamthitta Additional District and Sessions Court convicted Manoj Abraham, a native of Ranni, for the murder of 35-year-old Reena.
Pronouncing the verdict, Judge G P Jayakrishnan directed that the fine amount be disbursed to the children of the couple. If failed to pay the fine, Manoj would have to serve an additional two years in prison.
He was also sentenced to one month in jail and slapped with a fine of Rs 500 for causing wrongful obstruction. The verdict further stated that if the fine was not paid, a warrant would be issued to recover it from his property.
The crime took place on December 28, 2014, following an argument between the couple over a phone call Reena had received. Though a local body member initially intervened and settled the dispute, another argument broke out later that night.
Manoj beat Reena, prevented her from escaping, and attacked her with a wheel spanner. He then grabbed her by the hair, slammed her head against an autorickshaw, and smashed her bloodied face onto the cement floor—all while their children cried and tried to intervene, police said.
Reena sustained severe head and facial injuries and succumbed to them the following morning while undergoing treatment at Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital.
The Ranni police registered a case, and a charge sheet was submitted before the court on March 17, 2015.
During the trial, the prosecution proved the charges of murder and abduction. The court relied on the statements of Reena's children and circumstantial evidence. Reena's mother, who was also a witness, later passed away. In total, 25 witnesses were examined, and 13 exhibits were presented before the court.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)