Kasaragod: A Kasaragod court on Wednesday sentenced a 71-year-old man to life imprisonment for killing his wife and sentenced him to another 12 years for attempting to kill his daughter during an episode of explosive outburst.
The incident happened nearly four years ago on a Tuesday afternoon on December 3, 2019. Gopalakrishnan A N of Kanjiradukkam in Pullur village attacked his wife Kalyani (50) and daughter Sharanya (now 29 years) with firewood when his wife asked him not to turn on the television set. The mother and the daughter were getting ready to take Sharanya's child to hospital.
"Both the mother and the daughter suffered almost similar injuries on their heads. The mother died and the daughter is living with the consequences of the assault," said E Lohithakshan, the additional public prosecutor who argued the case.
Additional Sessions Court (I) judge found Gopalakrishnan guilty of three charges for assaulting his daughter and sentenced him to five years of imprisonment for attempt to murder (Section 307 of IPC) and another five years for causing grievous injuries with a dangerous weapon (Section 326 of IPC) and two years for causing injuries with a dangerous weapon (Section 324).
He has been fined Rs 1 lakh each in the three counts and if the fine is not paid, he will have to serve an additional four years and a half.
Gopalakrishnan's prison sentence for assaulting his daughter would run concurrently, that is, he would have to serve only five years in prison for the crime. "But the judge said in his order that Gopalakrishnan's life sentence for killing his wife would start only after he serves five years in prison for attacking his daughter," said Lohithakshan.
The judge has also fined him an additional Rs 1 lakh for murder (Section 302 of the IPC). If the fine is not paid, he would have to serve another two years in prison, the prosecutor said.
The court also directed the District Legal Service Authority to recommend adequate compensation to be provided to the daughter by the government.
The case was investigated and the charge sheet submitted by the then Ambalathara Station House Office - sub-inspector K Prashanth.
Gopalakrishnan, who used to run an eatery, used to frequently abuse his wife after coming home drunk, their neighbours had reportedly told police. But that day he was not drunk. He was just angry. Additional public prosecutor Lohithakshan examined 28 witnesses during the trial. Daughter Sharanya was the first witness.
