Palakkad, 15 July (H.S.):

The Palakkad Additional Sessions Court is expected to pronounce the sentence on Wednesday in the sensational Nenmara double murder case, in which 59-year-old Chenthamara was found guilty of murdering a mother and her son barely months after securing bail in an earlier murder case.

The court had recently held Chenthamara guilty of the brutal killings of Sudhakaran, 55, and his 75-year-old mother Lakshmi, both residents of Pothundy near Nenmara. The quantum of punishment is likely to be announced after hearing arguments on sentencing.

The verdict comes nearly one-and-a-half years after the gruesome murders that shocked the district. According to the prosecution, Chenthamara attacked the victims with a billhook at their residence in Thiruthampadam, Pothundy, killing both on the spot.

The double murder occurred after Chenthamara was released on bail in another murder case involving the same family. He had earlier been convicted by the same court for the murder of Sudhakaran's wife, Sajitha, 35. In that case, he was sentenced to double life imprisonment and fined ₹3.25 lakh. The conviction is currently under appeal, and he had obtained bail before allegedly carrying out the subsequent killings.

Investigators said the motive behind the crimes stemmed from Chenthamara's long-standing belief that Sajitha and her family were responsible for the breakdown of his relationship with his wife and daughter. The prosecution argued that this grudge ultimately escalated into a series of violent attacks against the family.

During the sentencing proceedings, Chenthamara made a series of provocative remarks in court. He declared that he was 'not Mahatma Gandhi' to turn the other cheek and warned that he would kill again if anyone stood in his way. Addressing the judge, he reportedly said, 'Write whatever you want,' and added that others would understand his actions only if they faced a similar situation. His comments drew attention during the hearing as the court prepared to decide the punishment in one of Kerala's most disturbing cases in recent years.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman