Who Is Greeshma? Kerala's Youngest Woman Sentenced To Death For Killing Boyfriend Sharon Raj

Greeshma, a 24-year-old woman from Kerala, has been sentenced to death for murdering her boyfriend, Sharon Raj, making her the youngest woman in the state to receive such a verdict. The court found her guilty of luring her boyfriend, Sharon Raj, into consuming a pesticide-laced ayurvedic drink in 2022 under the pretext of intimacy, which ultimately led to his death.

This makes Greeshma the second woman in the state to receive a death sentence. The first woman to be sentenced to death was involved in the high-profile Vidhukumaran Thampy murder case in Kollam, sentenced in March 2006. In addition to Greeshma, Rafeeka Beevi was the second woman to be sentenced to death after her conviction in the 2024 Vizhinjam Santhakumari murder case. The verdicts for both Greeshma and Rafeeka were delivered by Neyyattinkara Additional District Judge A M Basheer.

So, who is Greeshma?

Greeshma, who studied literature at a private college in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district, had been in a close relationship with Sharon, a final-year BSc Radiology student at the same college, for over a year before their relationship soured. According to prosecutors, Greeshma wanted to end the relationship after her family arranged her marriage with another man from Kerala. She then conspired with her uncle, Nirmalakumaran Nair, and her mother to kill Sharon.

The court also revealed that Greeshma attempted to conceal the poison bottle as Sharon's health deteriorated, and he ultimately succumbed to multiple organ failure on October 25, 2022. Kerala police arrested her on October 31, 2022.

Greeshma faced multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including murder (Section 302), abduction with intent to commit murder (Section 364), administering poison (Section 328), and obstruction of justice (Section 203).

In her defense, Greeshma sought leniency, citing her academic achievements, her lack of prior criminal history, and being her parents' only daughter. However, the court rejected her plea, stating that her actions were premeditated and betrayed Sharon's trust. The court also dismissed her claims of physical abuse by Sharon, stating there was no evidence to support the allegations.