Soumya murder case: Govindachamy escapes from Kannur central jail

Kannur: In a major security lapse, Govindachamy, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman Soumya, escaped from Kannur Central Jail on Friday.

Govindachamy was serving a life sentence for the rape and murder of 23-year-old, who was attacked while travelling on a passenger train from Ernakulam to Shoranur on February 1, 2011. 

The jailbreak reportedly happened early Friday morning. The authorities found him missing during a routine check in the 10th block of the jail. An intense search operation has since been launched by the police in and around Kannur. The jail authorities have appealed to the public for assistance. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is requested to contact 9446899506.

Govindachamy, a native of Tamil Nadu, had been lodged at the high-security facility in Kannur following his conviction.

The case

Back in 2016, the Supreme Court set aside the death sentence awarded to Govindachamy and commuted it to life imprisonment. While the court upheld his conviction for rape, it ruled out the murder charge.

Govindachamy was originally sentenced to death by a Thrissur Fast-Track Court in 2012, a verdict later upheld by the Kerala High Court in January 2014. However, the apex court found insufficient evidence to prove that he intended to kill the victim.

Soumya, an employee at a shopping mall in Kochi, was travelling home alone in a near-empty women’s coach of a passenger train from Ernakulam to Shoranur. Govindachamy assaulted her, pushed her off the moving train, and later raped her after jumping off the train himself. Soumya sustained severe injuries and later succumbed at a government hospital.

The case had sparked statewide outrage and led to widespread discussions on women’s safety in public transport.