TIRUPPUR: The Principal District Sessions Court on Monday awarded life imprisonment to four accused in the Palladam multiple murder case where four members of a family were hacked to death. One more accused was given a three-year sentence.
According to police, P Mohanraj (49) of Kallakinaru near Mathupur, ran a restaurant on his farmland and procured meat from Rajkumar aka Kutti. Following a dispute with him, Rajkumar moved out of the village. Later, Rajkumar joined as driver in a urea shop owned by Senthil Kumar, who was Mohanraj’s cousin. Senthil Kumar found Rajkumar committing financial irregularities and dismissed him from service.
On September 3, 2023, around 6 pm, Rajkumar along with his friends Sonaimuthu and Chellamuthu provoked Mohanraj by consuming liquor near his farmland. This angered Senthil Kumar who retaliated by shouting and hitting them. Later, Rajkumar and his friends attacked Mohanraj (49) his mother Pushpavathi (67), with a sickle. Their relatives Senthil Kumar and Rathinammal (58) tried to to intervene, but were also attacked. All the four died on the spot.
Police arrested Rajkumar (27) alias Kutti, C Chellamuthu (24), V Vishal (alias) Sonai Muthu (24). Later they also arrested Rajkumar’s father P Iyappan (52) for plotting revenge. I Venkatesan (29) alias Selvam, who is the brother of Rajkumar, was also arrested for giving shelter to the accused in his house in Palladam.
All the five accused were charged under sections IPC 302 (murder). DSP (Palladam) Sowmya filed an 800-page charge sheet in Palladam Judicial Magistrate court.
Public Prosecutor S Kanagasabapathi said, “All the accused were found guilty. Principal District Court Judge Swarnam J Natrajan awarded life sentence to four accused and imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on each of them. Rajkumar’s brother Venkatesan was given a three-year sentence and a fine of Rs 2,000. The court also ordered the state government to give compensation to the kin of deceased.”
