MADURAI: Madras high court judge p n Prakash has modified the conviction and life sentenceawarded to a person by a trial court and directed him to undergo seven years imprisonment in a case where he attempted self-immolation along with both his children in which his six-year-old son died.
Madras high court reduces life sentence of person in self-immolation case
Kaushik Kannan | TNN | Updated: Mar 29, 2020, 14:58 IST
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File PhotoMADURAI: Madras high court has modified the conviction and life sentenceawarded to a person by a trial court and directed him to undergo seven years imprisonment in a case where he attempted self-immolation along with both his children in which his six-year-old son died.
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The appellant Mayakannan, an alcoholic, was married to Shanthi and the couple along with their children – daughter Rathi and son Ashok – were residing at Thanichiyam village in Madurai district. There were frequent quarrels between the couple due to Mayakannan’s addiction. During one such quarrel, Shanthi took her children and went to her father’s house.
On January 20, 2013, Shanthi left her children at Mayakannan’s sister Kanchana’s house in Vadipatti. Mayakannan came to Kanchana’s house, took his children to his house and attempted self-immolation by pouring kerosene on himself and his children. While Rathi ran away from the house, Mayakannan set fire to himself and his son. In this incident, Mayakannan sustained burn injuries while Ashok died at the hospital few days later.
The Vadipatti police registered a case and arrested Mayakannan. The Madurai I additional district court in 2016 convicted Mayakannan and awarded life sentence under IPC Section 302. Challenging the conviction of the trial court, Mayakannan filed an appeal before the high court Madurai bench in 2018.
Hearing the plea, a division bench of justice P N Prakash and justice B Pugalendhi observed that the entire prosecution case hinges on Rathi’s evidence, who had testified about the whole incident.
The judges also observed that from the evidence of Shanthi, it was clear that after the appellant was released on bail, they reconciled and a son was born to them.
Partially allowing the appeal, the judges set aside the sentence imposed on Mayakannan for offence under IPC section 302 and instead convicted and sentenced him to undergo seven years imprisonment for the offence under IPC section 304(II).
