KOLLAM: Sandeep S, the accused in the murder of Dr Vandana Das, was found not to be under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident, according to the forensics report submitted to the Kottarakkara first-class magistrate court. Initially, there were suspicions that the accused may have been intoxicated, potentially triggering the attack.
The probe team confirmed that the medical board, responsible for assessing the accused’s health condition, instructed them to send Sandeep’s urine and medical samples to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College for a chemical examination. The report indicated no presence of drugs in Sandeep’s body at the time of the incident.
However, the mental state of the accused is still under consideration, and the medical board is yet to submit its report. The investigation officer, M M Jose, stated, “Based on the medical board’s recommendation, the accused was placed under observation for seven days at the Government Medical College Cell in Thiruvananthapuram to assess his mental status. He has now been shifted to judicial custody. We are awaiting the mental status report.”
On May 10, Dr Vandana Das, a house surgeon at Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital, tragically lost her life. Sandeep, who was brought to the hospital for wound dressing, fatally stabbed her using surgical scissors. Postmortem revealed a total of 26 injuries on the body, with 16 of them being severe and 11 inflicted by the scissors. The stabbing occurred on her face, neck, head, and back, resulting in fatal wounds to her internal organs, including the lungs.