Thrissur: A fast track court here on Monday
found a man from Tamil Nadu guilty of rape and murder of a
23-year-old woman, who he pushed out of a running train in
February this year.
Judge KN Ravendra Babu found 30-year-old Govindachamy
guilty in the case and said the quantum of sentence would be
pronounced on November 4.
The prosecution`s case was that Govindachamy had assaulted
Soumya in the ladies compartment of Kochi-Shornur passenger
train on February 1 and pushed her out immediately after it
left Vallathol Nagar railway station.
She was on way to her home near Shornur after attending
office at Ernakulam.
Govindachamy was arrested on February 3 from Palakaad.
Soumya succumbed to her injuries at Thrissur Medical
College Hospital on February 6.
The prosecutor had pleaded for capital punishment, saying
it was the rarest of rare case in the light of the scientific
and circumstantial evidence produced in court.
He also contended that absence of eyewitnesses should not
be a lacuna in awarding maximum punishment "as the man had no
qualm of conscience in committing rape and murder together."
Of a total of 154 witnesses, statements of 82 were
recorded before the court. Besides, 105 documents, 43 pieces
of evidence were also produced before the court, pressing for
the capital punishment to the accused.
PTI
