Youth sentenced to life imprisonment in rape/murder case

Manjeri, Kerala, Jan 22 (UNI) A Sessions Court here today sentenced a youth to life and another 17 years rigorous imprisonment for raping and murdering a teenaged girl at Kondotty in Malappuram district of Kerala more than two years ago.

Manjeri Additional Sessions Judge-I K M Balachandran, after finding Poothala Aboobacker(22) guilty of raping and murdering Khamrunnisa(12) on September 8, 2004, also slapped a penalty of Rs 30,000 under three different sections of IPC on him.

Ruling out leniency for such a heinous crime, the judge said the court decided to award life term for rape, ten year imprisonment for murder and another seven years for attempt to destroy evidence in the case.

The accused would have to undergo an additional nine years RI, if he failed to pay the penalty, the court ordered.

The judge also ordered to pay Rs 10,000 out of the penalty to the next of kin of the victim.

According to the prosecution, the accused after luring the victim coming from school killed Khamarunnisa after raping her and dumped the body in a building under-construction.

UNI