Kasaragod: A sessions court on Tuesday, February 27, found a man guilty of axing to death three maternal uncles and an aunt but did not sentence him after doctors testified that he was mentally ill.
Additional Sessions Court - III judge Unnikrishnan A V ordered the accused, Udayakumar (45), to be shifted to a mental health centre from Kannur Central Prison, where he has been lodged as an undertrial for the past three years and a half, said his defence counsel.
On the evening of August 3, 2020, when the state was in the grip of Covid pandemic and lockdown, Udayakumar allegedly hacked to death his maternal uncles Babu Adige (70), Vittla Adige (65), Sadashiva Adige (58) and his maternal aunt Devaki (50) at Kanyala in Paivalike grama panchayat. His mother Lakshmi (70) had a narrow escape as she fled to her neighbour's house, said Manjeshwar police, which investigated the case. After killing his mother's four siblings, he ran to Kanyala junction with the bloody axe in hand. Residents subdued Udayakumar, tied his hands with his dhoti, and handed him over to the police.
Udayakumar had mental illness from a young age, but the symptoms took a violent turn after he stopped his psychiatric medications, said his defence counsel Adv Sreejith Madakkal, who was assigned by the District Legal Service Authority. "He was undergoing treatment in Mangaluru and Shimoga in Karnataka. During the lockdown, when access to Mangaluru was denied, he could not buy his medicines and there was a relapse," he said.
However, the police could not get any prescriptions from the house and he was investigated as a regular accused.
Public Prosecutor P Satheeshan argued that Udayakumar killed the four persons because he held a grudge against the family for not finding a bride for him.
During the trial, the mother also testified against him, said Adv Madakkal.
But at the Kannur Central Prison, the medical officers attended to him, revived his medication, and sent him to the Government Mental Health Centre at Kuthiravattam near Kozhikode for three months, he said. "His condition improved. The doctors who treated him at the prison and the mental health centre testified about his condition and the judge upheld that he needs medical care," said Adv Madakkal.
In his order, Judge Unnikrishnan said Udayakumar could go home if any of his relatives were willing to look after him, said the defence counsel. "That's because he is normal if he does not skip the medication," he said.
But his family is almost wiped out. His father died years ago. None of his three maternal uncles were married. His maternal aunt Devaki was married. Her daughter is now taking care of Udayakumar's aged mother.
