Kevin Murder : Kerala Court Awards Double Life Term To All Convicts In The Case Of Honour Killing

A Kerala Court on Tuesday awarded double life term (consecutive life sentences) to ten persons found guilty for the 'honour killing' of Dalit Christian Kevin Joseph, reports Malayala Manorama.

The Principal Sessions Judge, Kottayam, C Jayachandran had on August 22 found that Kevin was killed at the instance of Shanu Chancko, the brother of Kevin's fiancee Neenu Chacko. Neenu's family's disapproval of her marriage with a man from Dalit background was stated to be motive for the murder. Shanu and his nine aides- Niays Mon, Ishan Ismail, Riyas Ibrahimkutty, Manu Muraleedharan, Shifin Sijad, N Nishad, Tittu Jerome, Fasil Sherif and Shanu Shajahan- were found guilty of murder, abduction and house-breaking.

While pronouncing the sentence today, the Court said that the case belonged to 'rarest of rarest' category.

The prosecution had demanded death penalty citing the Supreme Court judgments calling for strict punishments against those involved in 'honour killing'. 'Honour Killing' is a term used to dub a murder carried out by the relatives of a woman to prevent her from bringing perceived 'dishonour' to the family by marrying a man from a different social background.

Kevin and Neenu Chacko had applied for registering their marriage on May 25, 2018. The next day, he was abducted from his home at Mannanam at the instance of Neenu's brother Shanu. Two days later, his corpse was found in a water canal in Kollam district.

As per the police chargesheet, Shanu and his aides had reached Kevin's home in three vehicles and abducted him after vandalizing the house. His friend Aneesh was also taken away, and was left midway after severe thrashing.

Neenu's father Chacko, who was named as a conspirator of the crime by the police, was acquitted by the Court giving benefit of doubt. Three others were also acquitted.