Wayanad man sentenced to 18 years for trying to kill youth by repeatedly driving over him

Wayanad: A Wayanad man, who attempted to murder another youth by repeatedly driving over him after mowing him down, was sentenced to 18 years of rigorous imprisonment by the District Sessions Court here on Wednesday.

VS Albin, 28, a native of Anappara near Ambalavayal, was found guilty of the crime that took place on the night of March 15, 2018 at an isolated location in Kurukkankunnu in the Nenmeni panchayat. He has also been slapped with a fine of Rs 1,60,000.

Albin told the investigators that he thought Athul, the youth he tried to kill, was in a relationship with his fiancee. The alleged relationship later turned out to be a misunderstanding, argued the prosecution.

“After knocking down the victim, the first accused reversed the vehicle and thereafter again drove the vehicle forward to run over the body of the victim who was lying on the road,” read the verdict.

Athul was grievously injured in the incident, resulting in damages to his spleen, tail of pancreas and vertebral column.

Even though three others were in the SUV driven by Albin, District Sessions Judge Johnson John acquitted the others after the prosecution failed to establish their role in the crime.

Albin had used the mobile phone of the second accused, a minor, to coordinate with the others. The police seized the mobile phone and submitted the Call Data Records (CDR) at the court. Though the links of the second accused in the crime was established beyond doubt, as he was a minor at the time of crime, his matter has been handed over to the Juvenile Justice Board.

District Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor MK Jayapramod appeared for the prosecution. MD Sunil, then Circle Inspector of Sulthan Bathery, had investigated the case and submitted the chargesheet.