Kerala: Court awards death penalty to convict Rajendran in Ambalamukku Vineetha murder case

Rajendran, convicted of the brutal murder of Vineetha in Ambalamukku, has been sentenced to death by the Thiruvananthapuram court. 

Thiruvananthapuram: In a landmark judgment, the Thiruvananthapuram Seventh Additional District Sessions Court has sentenced Rajendran, the prime accused in the brutal murder of Vineetha at Ambalamukku, to death. Judge Prasoon Mohan, who delivered the verdict, stated that no punishment other than the death penalty was appropriate, given the severity and brutality of the crime.

The decision followed an extensive examination of Rajendran’s mental state. The court concluded that there was no possibility of his reformation, noting that medical and psychological assessments confirmed he would not return to a normal life.

Special Public Prosecutor M. Salahuddin argued forcefully for the death penalty, describing Rajendran as a hardened criminal responsible for four murders, three of which involved women, during robberies across Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The prosecution emphasized that the crime was not only heinous but also “shocking to the conscience,” warranting the maximum penalty under the “rarest of rare” doctrine.

In support of the prosecution’s argument, the court reviewed 11 reports, including a mental health assessment of the accused. Submissions from the District Collector, police, and jail authorities unanimously advised against any leniency, citing Rajendran’s hardened criminal nature and zero prospects for mental rehabilitation.

During the sentencing hearing, Rajendran claimed he had a 70-year-old mother who depended on him. However, he also stated he felt no remorse, insisting he had done nothing wrong—an admission that further underscored the court’s conclusion that he lacked any capacity for remorse or reform.

The crime that shocked the city took place on February 6, 2022, when Rajendran, a native of Thovalai in Tamil Nadu, slit the throat of Vineetha—a staff member at an ornamental plant shop—to steal her gold chain. The court found him guilty based on overwhelming evidence.

Rajendran had a disturbing history, having previously murdered three members of a single family in Tamil Nadu. His latest crime in Kerala sealed his fate, with the court determining that society would be unsafe were he ever released.