Youth gets life term for rape and murder of 22-year-old woman

Mangaluru, Apr 29: A court here convicted a youth on the charges of rape and murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment on Thursday.

The VI Additional District and Sessions Court pronounced the judgement against Harish Kumar (24), a resident of Kattadabailu Padukonaje, near Moodbidri for raping and murdering a 22-year-old woman.

The judge imposed a fine of Rs. 5,000 on Harish, along with two more months of imprisonment in the event of default on payment of fine, for the murder. For the rape count, the judge directed him to pay another fine of Rs. 5,000.

Cases of murder and rape, booked under Sections 302 and 376 of the Indian Penal Code against the convict have been proved beyond reasonable doubt, the judge said while convicting the accused.

The woman, who was working in a factory near Moodabidri, was returning home on May 16, 2011. She got down from the bus at Houdal and was walking to her home.

The convict followed the woman and raped her inside a forest at Murgekala. Fearing that the woman might reveal his identity, the convict strangled her to death before taking away her valuables including a mobile phone.

When her parents were searching for the woman, Harish too joined them expressing sympathy, the police said in the charge sheet. The woman's body was found around 8 p.m. the same day with a hand kerchief stuffed in her mouth.

The next day, Harish was arrested by Moodbidri police sub-inspector Ramesh Kumar and found the woman's valuables and mobile phone in his possession.

Police Inspector Thimmiah, who conducted the investigation, had filed the charge sheet. The prosecution was initially conducted by Shivaprasad Alva and was continued by Judith M. Crasta.