The Thiruvananthapuram Additional District and Sessions Court V on Monday sentenced a youth to rigorous life imprisonment for murdering a woman in a lodge in Thampanoor three years ago. The court also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on the convict, Praveen of Kollam.

The verdict was pronounced by Judge Siju Sheik, who found Praveen guilty of murdering Gayathri, a native of Veeranakavu near Kattakada, on March 5, 2022.

According to the prosecution, Praveen, who was married and a father of two children, had developed a relationship with Gayathri while they were employed at a jewellery store in the city. However, when Gayathri learned of Praveen’s existing marriage, she insisted he divorce his wife and marry her legally.

In an attempt to placate her, Praveen staged a private ceremony at a church, falsely claiming he would annul his marriage. Matters took a turn when Praveen’s wife discovered the affair and complained to the jewellery store management. This resulted in Praveen’s transfer to Tamil Nadu.

Later, Praveen decided to end the relationship, but Gayathri refused to comply with his demand. Her decision to share photos from their ceremony on social media reportedly enraged him further. Praveen allegedly lured Gayathri to the lodge and strangled her using a shawl. He initially claimed she had died by suicide.

In the absence of eyewitnesses, the prosecution built its case on circumstantial and forensic evidence. Medical reports revealed the injuries on Gayathri’s neck were inconsistent with suicide, and indicated the possibility of an external force to have been applied. Fingerprint evidence from the lodge room matched those of the accused. Mobile phone data too helped trace the movements of both the victim and the accused on the day of the incident.