Kerala man gets death penalty for double murder
What's the story
A 61-year-old man has been sentenced to death by a court in Kerala for the double murder of his neighbor and the neighbor's mother. The convict, Chenthamara, was found guilty of killing Sudhakaran (56) and Lakshmi (74) at Pothundi near Nenmara on January 27, 2025. The sentence was pronounced by Palakkad Additional Sessions Judge Kenneth George after detailed hearings from both prosecution and defense teams.
Legal arguments
Prosecution cited convict's statement as evidence
The prosecution had argued for the death penalty, saying Chenthamara was a continuing threat to society.
They cited his comments after conviction as proof of his dangerous mindset.
"I am not Mahatma Gandhi," he had said in court, adding he would retaliate if attacked.
The defense opposed the death sentence on the grounds that it relied on circumstantial evidence and not eyewitness testimony.
Defense stance
Defense argued 'not Gandhi' remark was misinterpreted
The defense argued that Chenthamara's "not Mahatma Gandhi" remark was made in self-defense and not as a threat to kill anyone.
Chenthamara was previously arrested for the 2019 murder of Sajitha, the wife of Sudhakaran, whom he allegedly blamed for his marital issues.
He had been out on bail when he allegedly hacked Sudhakaran and Lakshmi to death.
Ongoing trials
Chenthamara charged in 3 murder cases
Chenthamara is currently facing charges in three murder cases involving the same family.
The prosecution argued that he believed Sudhakaran's family was responsible for his own family's breakdown, which prompted the murders.
The court held that this case fell under the "rarest of rare" category as it involved multiple members of one family being killed by a person.