TIRUNELVELI: A 33-year-old man who hacked to death a nine-month-old girl after her grandfather refused to give his daughter in marriage to him was sentenced to 31 years imprisonment by I Additional District Court, Tirunelveli, on Tuesday.
Judge D Selvam found R Sivasankaran alias Sankar of Rosmiyapuram, guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and also convicted him on charges including criminal trespass and attempt to murder.
According to the prosecution, N Rasal Raj (63), a pastor from Thirukurungudi, was living with his wife R Hepsi Raj (62), their youngest daughter and his granddaughter Aksa Quincy (nine months). The child, born to another daughter of Rasal Raj, had been left in their care temporarily.
On March 20, 2021, Sivasankaran entered the house armed with a sickle after Rasal Raj declined his request to marry his youngest daughter. He attacked Hepsi Raj on the head, and caused serious injuries to the child. When Rasal Raj tried to intervene, he sustained injuries on his hand. The accused also tried to pour petrol on him before fleeing. The injured were rushed to a private hospital in Nagercoil, where the child died.
On Tuesday, the court sentenced Sivasankaran to one year imprisonment and a fine of `1,000 for trespass, 10 years each and a fine of `5,000 each for two counts of attempt to murder, and 10 years with a fine of ` 5,000 for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The sentences will run concurrently.