Thenkurissi honour killing: Haritha’s father, uncle sentenced to life imprisonment

Palakkad: The Additional Sessions Court I, Palakkad court on Monday sentenced the first and second accused in the infamous Thenkurissi honour killing to life imprisonment. On Friday, Additional Sessions Court I Judge R Vinayaka Rao found the two accused, Suresh and Prabhu Kumar, guilty of murdering 27-year-old Aneesh on Christmas Day in 2020.

Aneesh, a painter, was stabbed to death by his father-in-law Kumar just three months after marrying Haritha, who belonged to an upper-caste, affluent family. Aneesh's brother, Arun, witnessed the murder and provided crucial testimony against Kumar and Suresh (Haritha's uncle), implicating them in the crime.

Aneesh and Haritha’s relationship had begun during their school years, and their union was marked by strong opposition from Haritha's family. The court convicted the accused on charges of murder and evidence destruction. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on them.

The court heard statements from at least 59 witnesses in the case. Both the prosecution and Haritha had initially demanded death penalties for the accused. However, the prosecution was unable to establish the murder as a result of conspiracy. The hearing began on July 20, 2020.

Haritha expresses disappointment with verdict
After the proceedings, Haritha expressed her dissatisfaction with the court's decision, urging the state government to appeal for a harsher sentence. “I am not satisfied with this verdict," she told the media. "The accused should receive the death penalty." Haritha also revealed facing threats aimed at discouraging her from testifying against her father and uncle. "I was threatened with death if I spoke against them," she said. "Is this truly the punishment they deserve for committing murder?"

Aneesh’s family echoed her sentiment, disappointed with the sentence's severity. “My son's only 'wrongdoing' was marrying the woman he loved. He did no wrong otherwise,” Aneesh’s mother said.