Vineetha murder case: Accused Rajendran sentenced to death

Mail This Article
Thiruvananthapuram: The Additional Sessions Court, Thiruvananthapuram - VII has sentenced Rajendran (40), a serial killer from Vellamadam in Tamil Nadu, to death for the 2022 murder of Vineetha (38), a nursery worker from Karipur, Nedumangad. Sessions judge, Thiruvananthapuram, Prasun Mohan, in the order, also slapped a fine of Rs 4 lakh. If the convict fails to pay the fine, he shall serve additional term of three years. The amount shall be given to Vineetha's children, the court ordered. The Legal Services Authority shall also provide compensation for the children and Vineetha's parents.
Rajendran was found guilty of murder, robbery, criminal trespass, and destruction of evidence. The court noted that Rajendran continued to pose a threat to society. The prosecution described it as one of the ‘rarest of rare’ cases, citing Rajendran's history of serial killings and complete lack of remorse. He had earlier murdered Customs officer Subbaiah, his wife Vasanthi, and their 13-year-old daughter Abhishree in Tamil Nadu in a similarly calculated attack.
Psychological assessment by Dr Preethy James ,Government Mental Health Centre in Thiruvananthapuram confirmed that Rajendran showed no signs of remorse or potential for rehabilitation. Reports submitted by the district collector, jail superintendents of Thiruvananthapuram and Palayamkotta, revenue department, and probation officers from both Kerala and Tamil Nadu reinforced the prosecution’s call for capital punishment.
Vineetha, a widow who had joined the ornamental plant shop in Ambalamukku just nine months before her death, was attacked on February 6, 2022. She had gone to work alone that day despite the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. Rajendran, posing as a customer, fatally stabbed her and fled with a 4.5 sovereign gold chain, which he later pawned to fund online stock trading.
Initially, he had followed another woman wearing a larger gold chain, but switched targets when he lost track of her and found Vineetha alone. In a premeditated move, he slit her throat—a method he had used in previous killings to prevent victims from screaming.
After the murder, Rajendran disposed of the weapon in a pond and fled to Tamil Nadu, switching vehicles along the way. He was arrested five days later by a special police team led by Peroorkada Circle Inspector V Sajikumar. The stolen chain was recovered from a private finance firm where it had been pledged.
With no eyewitnesses, the prosecution built its case using forensic, circumstantial, and cyber evidence. CCTV footage tracing Rajendran’s movements before and after the crime was compiled into 11 pen drives and seven DVDs. In all, 96 witnesses were examined, and 222 documents were submitted during the trial.
A bilingual advocate was appointed to assist Rajendran in understanding the court proceedings. The investigation was led by Assistant Commissioner VS Dinaraj under the supervision of former Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner Sparjan Kumar, with support from a team of senior officers and civil police personnel. Special Public Prosecutor M Salahudeen, Advocates Devika Madhu, Fasna J, and Chithra O S appeared for the prosecution.
Educated Serial killer
Rajendran, once a higher secondary school teacher with B.Ed and double postgraduate holder (history and economics), is also accused of the brutal murders of a family in Tirunelveli in 2014. The victims were Subbayya (58), an employee in the Customs offfice, his wife Vasanthi (55) and their adopted daughter Abhishree (13).
Rajendran lived near Subbayya's large house at Rajiv Nagar Colony at Vembathoor in Tirunelveli. It was said that Rajendran had a hunch that Subbayya had stashed immense wealth, particularly gold, in his house. Like all hardened criminals, Rajendran was patient. He went about acquiring the trust of Subbayya and family. His educational qualifications, and his command over software applications, had already earned Subbayya's respect. It was also known that Rajendran dabbled in stocks. He was widely seen in the colony as a person with multiple interests and skill sets. If there was need, he was even willingly to do minor jobs like dehusking coconuts for neighbours. This humility had made him welcome in most of the houses in the colony.
One day in December 2014, Rajendran called up Subbayya and said that he was suddenly in possession of Rs 35 lakh from the stock market. He wanted Subbayya to keep the money in his house as it was not safe in his small house with weak windows. He said he would meet Subbayya at his office and give him the details.
Both of them then travelled back home in Subbayya's two-wheeler. By then it was already dusk. At a deserted stretch along the Kavalkinar-Kannappanalloor road, Rajendran said he wanted to answer nature's call. After parking the two-wheeler, Subbayya too went to the side to relieve himself. Spotting his chance, Rajendran stabbed Subbayya in the neck with the knife he had hidden in his socks. Rajendran then extracted Subbayya's gold ring and from the dead man's mobile called up his wife and told her to keep the front gate and door open as they were coming with the money.
The wife was a bit apprehensive when she saw Rajendran alone in Subbayya's two-wheeler. He said Subbayya was talking to a friend at the last turn. He asked the child to get him some water and once the child was out of sight, he pounced on Vasanthi, covered her face and nose, and stabbed her in the neck till she died. The child was also stabbed in the same manner when she returned with the water. He dumped the bodies in the shrubbery behind the house. The next day, when the bodies were found, he was among the people who rushed to the house in shock. Subbayya's body was found after a week.
Rajendran was arrested later, after Subbayya's body was discovered. The police had inferred that he had an accomplice. This search for the accomplice had delayed the submission of the chargesheet and allowed Rajendran to walk out of the jail a year later. The case is still on.