Kerala Man Sentenced To Death For Killing Two While Out On Bail

Last Updated:July 20, 2026, 13:36 IST

Police launched a massive search operation after the Nenmara killings and arrested Chenthamara shortly afterwards. He was later lodged in the Malampuzha sub-jail.

A Kerala court on Monday sentenced a 61-year-old man to death in the sensational 2025 Nenmara double murder case, holding that the crime fell under the “rarest of rare" category.

Palakkad Additional Sessions Judge Kenneth George awarded the death sentence to Chenthamara for the January 27, 2025, murders of his neighbour Sudhakaran and Sudhakaran’s mother, Lakshmi, at Pothundi near Nenmara. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 20 lakh.

The court convicted Chenthamara under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for murder and Section 126(2) for wrongful restraint. It was observed that capital punishment was warranted as the convict had murdered multiple members of the same family.

The murders took place just days after Chenthamara was released on bail in another murder case. He had earlier been arrested for the 2019 murder of Sudhakaran’s wife, Sajitha, whom he allegedly blamed for his marital problems.

Police launched a massive search operation after the Nenmara killings and arrested Chenthamara shortly afterwards. He was later lodged in the Malampuzha sub-jail.

While delivering the sentence, the court noted that Chenthamara continued to pose a threat to Sajitha and Sudhakaran’s two daughters, who were orphaned after the murders. It also observed that he had shown no remorse, making the case fit for the death penalty.

In the earlier Sajitha murder case, Chenthamara had already been sentenced to double life imprisonment.

Reacting to the verdict, Sajitha and Sudhakaran’s daughters, Atulya and Akhila, welcomed the court’s decision and alleged that the accused had continued to intimidate them during the trial.

“He should get the maximum punishment. Even in court, he said, without any remorse, to go ahead and hang him if they want to. We lost our father and grandmother. Everyone is gone. He must be given a punishment that fits his crime," Akhila told reporters.

Atulya said the family had been living in fear because of the accused. “He is not afraid of anything. He must be given a punishment that fits his crime," she said.

A family relative, Saritha, appealed to the Kerala government to support the two sisters, saying they had been left without immediate family after the murders. She urged the government to provide them with jobs and other assistance.

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