VELLORE: The Vellore Mahila Court sentenced a 26-year-old youth to life-imprisonment for raping and murdering a 17-year-old girl in 2011, on Monday.
According to the prosecution, Baskaran and his father Padavettan, residents of Sulai village in Sholinghur, had an ongoing dispute for several years with Narasimman of the same locality over a piece of property. Padavettan died years ago and Baskaran decided to take revenge on Narasimman family after his father’s demise. He developed a relationship with Narasimman’s teenage daughter in order to take revenge.
On August 9, 2011, Baskaran went to Narasimman’s house knowing the latter’s daughter was alone and raped her. Then he poured kerosene on her, set her ablaze and fled the spot. The girl rushed outside screaming for help. She was taken to the Sholinghur Government Hospital by neighbours and later referred to the Government Vellore Medical College and Hospital where she succumbed to her burn injuries without responding to treatment. A case was registered in Banavaram and Baskaran was arrested.
When the trial came up on Monday, Mahila Court judge Madhusudan sentenced Baskaran to life-imprisonment, imposed a fine of `4,500 and was later lodged in Vellore Central Prison for Men.
Man on Bail Killed
Tiruvannamalai: A 30-year-old man, released on conditional bail from Chennai Puzhal Central Prison, was murdered by a rival gang in Cheyyar on Monday night in Tiruvannamalai district.
The deceased, S Durairaj, a resident of Venkatrayan Pettai in Cheyyar, lived with his wife and two children in the locality and worked as a daily-wage labourer and was reputed to be a contract killer with two murder charges against him, one in Madurai and the other in Chennai. In connection with the murder in Chennai, he was charged and lodged in Puzhal prison.
Police officials said, around 10 days ago, he was released on conditional bail. On Monday night, Durairaj with his friend, Sekar(28), was drinking alcohol in the same place where Arumugam(27) and Ramesh(27), members of a rival gang were. Police sources said they engaged in a verbal duel which resulted in Arumugam and Ramesh stabbing Durairaj fatally in the stomach killing him on the spot. The duo then attacked Sekar with a knife but residents in the area rushed to the spot and took Sekar to the Cheyyar GH.
Villagers found Durairaj in a pool of blood and the body was taken to a GH for autopsy.
Residents alerted Cheyyar police, who arrested the Arumugam and Ramesh.
A case was registered and an inquiry is on. Police officials said that the duo will be remanded in Vellore Central Prison for Men.
