KAKINADA: First Additional District Judge of Rajamahendravaram has sentenced a murder-convict to life imprisonment and 15 years of jail under four different sections. He had killed a girl nine years ago in Pithapuram.
All the sentences shall run concurrently. The court awarded a compensation of Rs 7.50 lakh to the deceased girl’s mother.
The case had created a sensation in Pithapuram town in 2013. According to the town police, Mukkudupallil Naveen Kumar alias Naveen (23), a painter, used to follow a minor girl, studying Class X, in the Municipal High School there and told her he was loving her deeply. She expressed her disapproval to his overtures.
He used to stalk her and harass her by words and gestures. Later, unable to bear his torture, the parents shifted their home to another street and decided to perform her marriage on December, 22, 2013.
The victim girl’s mother went to Rajamahendravaram to purchase wedding cards and clothes. Her father went to Kakinada for some work. In the afternoon, the accused went to the house and forced the victim girl for marriage or to have sex with him. She ran into the kitchen. Following her, he poured kerosene on her and set her on fire. She died in hospital later.
The judge sentenced him to life imprisonment as also a fine of Rs 500 or in default an additional jail of six months. He was also awarded 10 years’ Rigorous Imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500 under Section 326-A, as also a one-year imprisonment and fine of Rs 250 under Section 354(A)1)(ii), a one-year jail under 354(D)(1)(i) of IPC, a six-months jail and fine of Rs 250 under Section 448 and three and half years’ jail and a fine of Rs 500 under section 3 r/w of POCSO Act.
