Pathanamthitta: A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his wife in front of their children, in a tragic case of domestic violence.
Manoj Abraham, 48, was convicted by the Pathanamthitta Additional District and Sessions Court on Thursday for murdering his wife, Reena, 35, in 2014. The court also imposed a ₹2 lakh fine, which must be paid to the children. Failure to do so will result in an additional two-year prison term.
Judge G.P. Jayakrishnan also sentenced Abraham to one month in prison with a ₹500 fine for causing wrongful obstruction. If the fine remains unpaid, a warrant will be issued to recover the amount from his property.
The crime occurred on December 28, 2014, following an argument between the couple after Reena received a phone call. Though a ward member intervened to resolve the dispute, another fight broke out later that night. Abraham physically assaulted Reena, inflicting severe injuries on her head and face. She succumbed to her injuries the following morning while receiving treatment at Kottayam Medical College Hospital.
The Ranni police, under then-inspector T. Rajappan, registered the case and filed a charge sheet on March 17, 2015. The trial confirmed the charges of murder and abduction.
Reena’s two children and her mother, who later passed away, testified against the accused. The court relied on their statements and circumstantial evidence, examining 25 witnesses and 13 pieces of evidence.
Additional Public Prosecutor Advocate Harishankar Prasad represented the prosecution.
