NEW DELHI: A court in Kerala on Monday sentenced a 61-year-old man to death for the 2025 double murder of a mother and son in Nenmara, holding that the crime fell within the “rarest of rare” category.
The convict, Chenthamara, was found guilty of murdering his neighbour Sudhakaran, 56, and Sudhakaran’s 74-year-old mother, Lakshmi, at Pothundi near Nenmara in Palakkad district on January 27, 2025.
The sentence was pronounced after the court concluded arguments on the quantum of punishment last week. Presiding Judge Kenneth George heard detailed submissions from both the prosecution and the defence before reserving the verdict.
The prosecution sought the death penalty, arguing that Chenthamara posed a continuing threat to society and had shown no remorse for his actions. It also cited remarks he made after his conviction, including a statement that he was “not Mahatma Gandhi” and would retaliate if attacked, contending that they reflected a dangerous mindset.
The defence opposed capital punishment, arguing that the case was based primarily on circumstantial evidence rather than eyewitness testimony. It further submitted that Chenthamara’s “not Mahatma Gandhi” remark was made in the context of self-defence and should not be interpreted as a threat to kill.
Chenthamara had earlier been convicted in the 2019 murder of Sajitha, Sudhakaran’s wife. According to the prosecution, he allegedly committed the 2025 killings while out on bail in that case.
He is currently facing charges in three murder cases involving members of the same family. Prosecutors alleged that Chenthamara believed Sudhakaran’s family was responsible for the breakdown of his own family, which motivated the killings.
