Estranged husband gets triple life term for hacking woman cop to death in Kannur
The judge also directed the Legal Service Authority to adequately compensate her son and her father under the Kerala Victims Compensation Scheme.
The judge also directed the Legal Service Authority to adequately compensate her son and her father under the Kerala Victims Compensation Scheme.
The judge also directed the Legal Service Authority to adequately compensate her son and her father under the Kerala Victims Compensation Scheme.
Kannur: Nearly 15 months after P Divyasree (38), a woman police officer, was hacked to death at her parents’ home near Payyannur, the Thalassery Sessions Court on Friday sentenced her estranged husband, Rajesh K (43), to three terms of life imprisonment.
Sessions Judge K T Nisar Ahammed found Rajesh guilty under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including murder, house trespass with intent to commit the offence, causing disappearance of evidence, and attempt to murder of her father, Vasu.
The court awarded life imprisonment for murder, attempt to murder and house trespass, and another seven years for destroying evidence, along with fines totalling ₹2 lakh.
According to the prosecution, Rajesh, a driver, murdered Divyasree because she filed for a divorce at the Family Court in Kannur. He carried out a premeditated attack on November 21, 2024, soon after a counselling session, where she reiterated her decision to seek a divorce, said public prosecutor Adv Ajith Kumar.
Rajesh purchased a billhook and petrol earlier from Payyannur and went to Divyasree’s parents' house at Paliyeri in Karivellur-Peralam panchayat around 5.30 pm. He allegedly poured petrol through the veranda grill, broke it open, entered the house, and dragged her into the courtyard before hacking her repeatedly on the head and body.
Her father, Vasu, who tried to intervene, sustained serious injuries to his hands.
Divyasree, attached to the Kerala Armed Police IV Battalion and earlier posted at Chandera police station in Kasaragod, succumbed to her injuries at the scene. The couple, who had been living separately, have a son, who will now be in Class IX.
Rajesh fled after the attack but was arrested the same night at a bar in Valapattanam. He had remained in custody without bail.
In his remarks, the judge noted that the prosecution had relied significantly on digital evidence to establish both preparation and execution of the crime, and recorded appreciation for the assistance of Public Prosecutor Ajith Kumar.
The judge also directed the Legal Service Authority to adequately compensate her son and her father under the Kerala Victims Compensation Scheme.