The First Additional Sessions Court here on Friday sentenced a man to life imprisonment and slapped him with a fine of ₹1 lakh for killing his relative by pushing him into a well at a construction site in the city three years ago.
Judge K. Anilkumar held Kizhakkethodi Murali, 44, of Kuttilthazham near Pokkunnu guilty under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code of murdering Madayi Baburaj, 48, of Kannancherry.
The penalty should be paid to the victim’s wife. If the accused fails to remit the amount, he will have to undergo an additional three more years of rigorous imprisonment, the court ruled.
The prosecution case was that Murali, out of personal animosity, pushed Baburaj into a well on May 22, 2019. The cause of the death was a serious neck injury the victim sustained after the fall.
The prosecution examined 31 witnesses and produced 52 documents as well as 13 material objects. However, three of the witnesses turned hostile during the trial.
Additional Public Prosecutor Joju Cyriac appeared for the prosecution. Town Station Inspectors T.S. Binu and A. Umesh investigated the case.
