Kerala law student's murderer sentenced to death

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A sessions court in Kerala on Thursday sentenced to death Ameerul Islam, a migrant labourer from Assam, who on Tuesday was found guilty of rape and murder of a law student in 2016 in Ernakulam.

The Special Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court Judge N. Anil Kumar accepted the prosecution contention that Ameerul Islam should not be allowed to return to society as he would pose serious threat to it.

Additional Director General of Police B. Sandhya, who led the probe, was happy with the sentence.

The victim's mother also thanked all those who worked in the case. "This is the day I have been waiting for. I have heard what I wanted to hear and I thank all who made it possible," she said.

The 27-year-old woman was found murdered in her house near here on April 28, 2016. Her mother, Rajeshwari, who works as a casual labourer, discovered her body.

The murder had taken place a month before the assembly elections, and the opposition had attacked the then Oommen Chandy government over the state of women's safety in Kerala.

The police cracked the case after conducting a successful DNA test to nail the accused. Trial in the case was conducted in-camera.

On the first day after Pinarayi Vijayan took over as Chief Minister in May 2016, the then state police chief was removed. Vijayan directed new police chief Loknath Behra to expedite the probe.

At the end of the probe, it was found that the first probe team appointed by the outgoing Chandy government had done a clean job for the subsequent team to go forward and record the arrest of the Assam native.

Counsel for the accused Aloor, told the media that this is one case where the judiciary appears to have failed.

"We will certainly appeal in the Kerala High Court," said Aloor.

For the accused, the weak link in the case is that the police did not have any eyewitness to the crime.

--IANS

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