The Mahila Court here has sentenced a man to double life imprisonment for murdering his wife and the daughter as he suspected his wife of having an illicit affair.
According to prosecution, S. Shankar, 42, of Nagercoil in Kanniyakumari district moved to Thoothukudi, where he started his textile business after settling down his family in a house at Madathur on the outskirts of the port town. As he suspected his wife Gokila, 26, of having extra-marital affair, the suspicion caused frequent quarrels between the couple. Shankar had also harassed her.
During one such quarrel on May 29, 2014, Shankar locked his house from inside around 7.30 a.m. and smashed Gokila’s head with a grinder stone in which she died on the spot. Shankar also threw his 3-year-old daughter Bhuvana alias Akshaya against the wall of his house.
Even as the neighbours were watching the gruesome murder through the window, Shankar escaped after threatening them that he would set afire to the cooking gas cylinder if they tried to nab him. After Shankar fled the scene, Bhuvana was rushed to the hospital where she died the same day. The Thoothukudi SIPCOT police arrested Shankar.
Mahila Court Judge V. Pandiaraj, who dismissed the defense counsel’s argument that Shankar was mentally ill, awarded double life imprisonment and slapped a fine of ₹ 2,000 on him on Tuesday. The sentence would go concurrently.
