Chennai: Three get life term for murder over enmity

Chennai: The IV Additional Sessions Court, Chennai, on Friday sentenced three persons to undergo life imprisonment on a charge of murdering an auto-driver due to previous enmity six years ago. The trio killed him by slitting his throat at a Triplicane lodge in 2011.

The additional public prosecutor, M. Prabhavathi, said the incident came to light when police received a call from a mansion manager alerting that a man was found in a room with his throat slit.

The victim was identified as Murthy, a native of Dindigul, who was living with his family in Choolaimedu.

Murthy owned two lorries and transported goods including coal from Chennai port.

While Murthy was using one lorry, his friend Rajkumar was operating the other one. After facing severe losses Murthy sold the vehicles and became an auto-rickshaw driver and sacked Rajkumar. 

Murthy was also acting as a part-time-broker for the tipper lorry drivers near the Chennai port.

Rajkumar’s friend Venkatesan had booked the room in his name at the lodge and was staying for over 10 days. On August 19, 2011, Rajkumar arrived at a compromise with Murthy in Parry’s.  Rajkumar and his friends Venkatesan and Bala consumed alcohol with Murthy and the trio took Murthy to the lodge.

They slit his throat in the room. Immediately, they escaped from the place. 
He was found dead. Based on a complaint, Triplicane police registered a case and arrested Rajkumar, Bala and Venkatesan.

On completion of the trial, the IV Additional Sessions Court, judge M. Shanthi, said that the prosecution proved the charges levelled against the accused under section 302 and 304 of IPC. The circumstantial evidence proves that the guilt of the accused. 

The judge awarded life sentence to Rajkumar, Bala and Venkatesan and slapped them a fine of '10,000 each on them.