Praveen Kumar, killed four of his relatives with the purpose of robbing jewellery
Mangalore: The landmark verdict of Supreme Court on Tuesday given relief to death row convict Praveen Kumar who killed four of his relatives with the purpose of robbing jewellery at vamanjoor.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday held that death sentence of a condemned prisoner can be commuted to life imprisonment on the ground of delay on the part of the government in deciding the mercy plea giving life term to 15 death row inmates, including Praveen kumar.
The death sentence announced by the lower court was later confirmed by the state High Court and Supreme Court. The Supreme Court’s decision had come in the year 2003, but the execution was kept pending as Pravin filed clemency petition thereafter.
Praveen hails from Heriyadka near Uppinangady in Puttur taluk. He and his wife used to do tailoring job in Chilimbi, Mangalore.To adjust funds required for his addiction towards single number lottery, Praveen had pledged ornaments belonging to his wife and family members, besides raising petty loans from various sources. Still, he was perennially facing financial crisis.
Praveen Kumar, killed four of his relatives with the purpose of robbing jewellery, as he was in urgent need of funds. He killed Appi Serigarti, her daughter, Shakuntala, granddaughter, Deepika, and Appi’s son, Govind. Appi was the sister of Praveen’s father.
The husband of Shakuntala was employed in a foreign country. He had returned to native place a few days back, and Praveen thought that Shakuntala’s husband would have brought cash and gold ornaments with him.
On the night of February 23, 1994, Praveen slept after dinner. At midnight, he got up to execute his plan, and hit the above four persons with the handle of an axe escaped from that palce.
The police had nabbed Praveen within a few days of the murder. He had confessed to the crime, and also showed to them the place where he had hidden the ornaments.
Later, Praveen escaped from the police while being brought to Mangalore court from Hindalga prison in Belgaum and he went to Goa , where he married another girl and became the father of a female child. But there he nabbed by Anti Rowdy Squad.
After the courts verdict of hanging to death then Praveen kumar filed clemency petition with the President of India, but the petition was rejected by the President on Thursday April 4. Now SC given landmark verdict and Praveen Kumar got relief.
