A lorry driver who killed his wife over a year ago suspecting her fidelity was on Monday sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs 1.5 lakh.
N.J. Jose, judge, Kozhikode Second Additional Sessions Court here, had last week found Vadepoovanpurathu Abdurehiman, 47, of Karanthur guilty of hacking his wife, Razeena, 40, to death with an axe on February 7, 2012. The accused was charged with Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
The court ordered that the penalty amount be divided among the three daughters. If the accused refused to remit the amount, he would have to undergo additional one more year in prison.
According to the prosecution, Abdurehiman who had been married to Razeena for 16 years frequently quarrelled with her, suspecting her fidelity.
He had hit Razeena on the head 37 times with an axe. The accused was an alcoholic, the prosecution argued.
The daughters, who were assleep in the next room, heard Razeena’s screams and saw the blood-stained weapon in their father’s hand. A neighbour, Mohammed, also arrived at their house at that time, hearing the screams. Accompanied by others, he took the critically injured Razeena to the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital. She was declared dead around midnight.
Soon after, Abdurehiman surrendered at the Kunnamangalam police station. Chevayur Circle Inspector Prakashan Padanayil investigated the case. P.V. Hari was the special prosecutor.
The court examined 21 witnesses, including the two daughters and Mr. Mohammed. Twenty-five documents and five material objects were examined.
