RI for convict in murder of 19-year-old girl

The Pathanamthitta Additional District Court (I) here on Thursday sentenced a 24-year-old youth to life imprisonment and rigorous imprisonment for the brutal murder of 19-year-old Kavitha in 2019.

Delivering he quantum of punishment, the court also imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh on the convict, identified as Ajin Reji Mathew. In case of a default in paying this amount, it will be recovered from the convict’s property.

The verdict was pronounced by Additional District Judge G.P. Jayakrishnan. The court had earlier found Ajin guilty of wrongful restraint and murder and hence sentenced an additional term of one month imprisonment for wrongful restraint.

As per the prosecution case, the incident took place on March 12, 2019, around 9.10 a.m.near the Chilanka Junction on the Railway Station Road in Thiruvalla.

Ajin, enraged after Kavitha rejected his romantic advances, attacked her in the middle of the road. The accused and the victim had studied together in higher secondary school. Later, Kavitha had joined a private institution in Thiruvalla for an Lab technician course. On the day of the incident, she was on her way to class when Ajin confronted her.

Earlier that morning, he had bought three bottles of petrol from a fuel station at Pump Junction in Thiruvalla. He followed Kavitha, stabbed her multiple times and then poured petrol over her body before setting her on fire.

Kavitha, who suffered 70 per cent burn injuries, was rushed to a private hospital in Thiruvalla and later shifted to a private hospital in Ernakulam, but succumbed to her injuries eight days later.

The investigation was led by then Thiruvalla Circle Inspector P. R. Santosh, who submitted the chargesheet on the 89th day of the probe. Public Prosecutor Harishankar Prasad appeared for the prosecution. During the trail, 43 witnesses were examined and 94 documents were verified.

Kavitha’s parents, Usha and Vijayakumar, expressed satisfaction over the verdict.