HUBBALLI: In what the police described as a “rare judgment”, the Chitradurga district and sessions court on Saturday sentenced a 75-year-old to life imprisonment just 11 days after he killed his wife. Judge S B Vastramath also slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 on him.
According to investigating officer and Challakere inspector Thimmanna N, Parameshwaraswamy of Valase village in Challakere taluk had frequent fights with his wife Puttamma, suspecting her fidelity. In the wee hours of June 27, he had a quarrel with her and smashed her head with a grinding stone and fled after realising that she was dead.
On the same day, Puttamma’s relatives filed a complaint against him. The police registered a case and formed a team to catch him. Within 48 hours, the police filed a chargesheet and submitted it to the court.
“After murdering his wife, Parameshwaraswamy walked out of the house. In the morning he took an autorickshaw and went to the outskirts of the village. The police soon began searching for him. The sub-inspector of Challakere managed to nab him near the bus stand and arrested him,” the officer explained.
The case had three eyewitnesses, including the son of the couple. In all, 30 witnesses from Valase and other parts of the district were produced by the police. The court began its trial on July 3 and continued it on July 4 and 5. The sentence was pronounced on July 7.
Chitradurga SP Shrinath M Joshi termed it a “rare judgment”.
“I have not come across such speedy judgment in Karnataka. The police team did a good job in finding the accused and producing the witnesses. There were three eyewitnesses, including the son of the couple, and his statement ensured the judgment,” he said.