Attingal twin murder: Death for Nino Mathew, double life term for Anushanthi

The session court sentenced the death penalty to the IT professional for committing murder of his beloved colleague's daughter, Mother-in-law and attempting to murder of her husband; and life term awarded to his beloved for the abetment, and helping for the commission, of this heinous crime  in Attingal, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The court in his verdict said, “It is insult for the motherhood.”

Chief judicial magistrate, V Shersi, has also fined both the accused, Nino Mathew and Anushanthi, Rs 50 lakhs each. Both of them are software engineer. The fine amounts of Rs 50 lakh is to be paid to the husband, Lijeesh and Rs 50 lakh to Thunkpan Chettiar, Lijeesh father.

The murder was committed on April 16, 2014. According to the prosecution, Anushanthi had connived with his paramour Nino to kill her mother-in-law and daughter. Kulathur resident Nino Mathew was the project manager of Fincher Company in the Technopark. Anu Shanti was the team leader in the same. The duo had planned the murder in order to live together.

But Lijeesh, her husband; Swastika, 3, her daughter; and Vijayamma (Omana), 60, her mother-in-law (retired government officer) — all were the hurdle of duo.

The plan was to terminate Lijeesh, Swasthika and Omana. Hence, Anu Shanti had handed over all the photographs of the rooms and way to the residence much before the incident took place.

Following instructions from Anushanthi, Nino arrived at the residence with weapons including a Machete, chili powder and gloves. When Nino knocked the front door of the house, it was Omana who opened it. Apparently, she was told to call Lijeesh. As Lijeesh was not present at the house, Nino was told to wait and Omana went to the kitchen to make tea.

Following this, Nino barged into the kitchen and hacked Omana using the machete. When Swasthika rushed into the kitchen following the screams of her grandma, she was also bludgeoned to death.

When Lijeesh arrived, Nino tried to throw chili powder on his face and also hacked Lijeesh on his head. Deeply injured, Lijeesh left the house and ran away anyhow from the spot.The extramarital affair between Anushanthi and Nino had led to the murder.

Public Prosecutor Vineet Kumar had said that the accused were found guilty under Section 120B (conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 449 (criminal trespassing), 201 (destruction of evidence) and 380 (theft) of IPC and 67A of the IT Act. Forty nine witnesses were examined and 85 documents were used as evidence, besides 41 material evidence. 

The court also took cognizance of digital evidence and proof produced by forensic science laboratory. Video clippings seized from the laptop of the accused were also accepted as evidence by the court.

The court said that Anu Shanthi was in the active role of crime commission, but she is being given reduce in conviction because she is a woman. However the court said she is the insult of motherhood. The gruesome murders of 3 years old baby and 60 years old woman were committed.