Man who killed son with axe gets life term, ₹1 lakh fine in Wayanad

Kalpetta: A 69-year-old man who killed his 22-year-old son with an axe following a family dispute has been sentenced to life imprisonment and fined ₹1 lakh by the Additional District and Sessions Court-I, Kalpetta.

Judge P Saidalavi sentenced Thekkekkara Sivadasan of Manalvayal, near Pulppally, on Friday. The court considered the testimonies of the victim’s mother, sister and neighbours, along with other evidence, including the axe used in the crime.

The incident occurred in September 2023. According to the prosecution, Sivadasan, who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, became enraged during a family quarrel. He took an axe from a room and attacked his son Amal while he was lying on a bed. Amal suffered fatal injuries and died on the spot.

Police examined around 35 witnesses and produced nearly 35 documents and other material evidence before the court. The case was initially investigated by then Pulppally Station House Officer Ananthakrishnan, who later filed the chargesheet.

Additional Public Prosecutor Adv Abhilash Joseph, who appeared for the prosecution, said Amal had been caught in a troubled family situation. His parents were living separately, while his mother was pursuing legal proceedings for separation and divorce. Amal continued to live with his father, who the prosecution said was addicted to alcohol.

The strained circumstances had also forced Amal to spend some nights away from home. Fearing his father, he would sometimes stay with friends in makeshift tree houses used by those guarding agricultural fields at night, the prosecutor said.

On the day of the incident, Amal was speaking to his mother over the phone when his father returned home after consuming alcohol. According to the prosecution, Sivadasan overheard the conversation and became furious.

He allegedly grabbed an axe and rushed towards his son. Amal, who was lying on the bed and was unaware of his father's presence, was attacked with the weapon and died from his injuries.

The mother, who was still on the phone with Amal, heard the commotion and her son's final cries. When he stopped responding, she alerted neighbours. They rushed to the house and found Amal lying in a pool of blood.

Sivadasan allegedly fled through the back door and remained in a nearby forest for two days while evading police. He was subsequently arrested.

The prosecution argued that the eyewitness and circumstantial evidence established Sivadasan's involvement in the killing. The court sentenced him to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh.