Thrissur: A man who stabbed a girl and fatally set her on fire in Chiyyaram here was awarded life imprisonment.
Nidheesh (27) a native of Vadakkeakkadu was given life imprisonment for murdering Chiyyaram native Neethu (21).
The Thrissur District Principal Sessions Court pronounced the verdict. Earlier, the court had found that the accused was guilty.
Nidheesh committed the heinous act after Neethu, an engineering student, rejected his marriage proposal. The incident took place around 6.45 am on April 4, 2019.
Nidheesh, who was an employee at an IT company in Kakkanad, had reached the spot on a bike carrying a knife, poison and petrol. According to the case, Nidheesh entered Neethu’s house through the back door. He barged into the bathroom and stabbed Neethu on the neck, chest and stomach. Nidheesh then poured petrol on Neethu and set her ablaze.
City Crime Branch assistant police commissioner C. D. Sreenivasan completed the investigation and submitted the charge sheet within 90 days. The hearing was completed in one-and-a-half years. The cross examination of witnesses in the case started on August 20, 2020 and was completed within three months. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, the case was not delayed.
District public prosecutor K. D. Babu appeared for the prosecution. The accused had submitted a bail petition 17 times but the court denied each time.
