Sandeep found guilty in Dr Vandana Das murder case, quantum of sentence to be pronounced on Thursday

KOLLAM: The Kollam Additional Sessions Court found Sandeep, the accused in the murder case of Dr Vandana Das, which created a sensation in the state, guilty. The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on Thursday. More than 70 witnesses including police officers, forensic experts and doctors were cross examined in the case. 22 mainour and 207 documents were also produced. Sandeep is the sole accused in the case.

The heinous murder of Dr Vandana Das is the first time in the state that a doctor has been killed in a hospital. Dr Vandana was stabbed to death by Sandeep of Kudavattoor, who was an aided school teacher in Nedumbana, in an inebriated condition with surgical scissors. The incident happened at Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital on May 10, 2023 at 4.35 am. The cause of death was the deep wounds sustained on her chest and head. She was the only daughter of K G Mohandas and Vasantha Kumari of Muttuchira near Kaduthuruthy in Kottayam. She completed her MBBS from Azeezia Medical College in Kollam and was doing house surgency at the Taluk Hospital.

Sandeep called the Kollam Rural Police Control Room at 3 am on May 10 and said that he met with an accident and requested help. When the police arrived, he was standing in his neighbor's land with an injured leg. Sandeep was taken to the hospital along with his neighbors. The duty doctor directed to dress the wound. Dr Vandana, who went to the dressing room with Sandeep along with the OP ticket, later went to the observation room. Meanwhile, Sandeep turned violent and attacked those who came with him and then rushed to the observation room.

He stabbed Dr Vandana 27 times with the scissors taken from the dressing room. His wife had also given a statement against the accused. Sandeep used to create problems after drunk and so she had left him. His main argument was that he was mentally ill. This argument was refuted when the mental health expert team examined the accused as per the order of the Supreme Court. Sandeep was later terminated from service.