Ranni double murder: High Court quashes death sentence of paternal uncle who killed two children in front of their mother

KOCHI: High Court has quashed the death sentence of the paternal uncle who killed two children in front of their mother in Pathanamthitta Ranni. Instead, he was sentenced to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment without parole. A division bench comprising Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice VM Shyamkumar quashed the death sentence awarded to Thomas Chacko (Shibu, 50) by the Pathanamthitta Additional Sessions Court. The fine of five lakh rupees imposed on the accused was upheld. The fine should be paid to the children's mother. The death sentence of the accused was canceled considering that it was not a rarest of rare crime. However, the bench also stated that the brutal killing of innocent children by a person in the position of a parent is a serious matter.

The double murder was on the morning of October 27, 2013. A property dispute and a family dispute led to the crime. Thomas Chacko came to the family home, and killed Melbin (7) and Mebin (3), the children of his expatriate younger brother Mathew Chacko (Shaibu) by slitting their throat with a knife. The accused threw chilli powder on the face of the children's mother, Bindu, attacked his mother Marykutty and set the house on fire.

Reports were considered

The court also considered the mitigation investigation report which pointed out the possibility of the accused to repent and live in harmony with the society. The defendant has no previous involvement in crime. It was stated in the report that neglect and bad experiences in his youth brought the accused to this condition. The court took into account the report of the Superintendent of Viyyur Prison that the conduct of the accused in jail was satisfactory and the report of the District Probation Officer of Pathanamthitta saying that even the mother had requested that the death penalty be avoided.

Ranni double murder: What happened

Accused Shibu was living in a rented house due to quarrel with his father. Shibu, who had enmity with his younger brother Shaibu who was in Gulf, reached his family home at 7.30 am on October 27, 2013. His father Chaco was in the church at this time. His mother Marykutty, Shaibu's wife Bindu, Melvin and Mebin were the only ones in the house. Meanwhile Marykutty went to the church to call Chacko. Shibu stabbed Melvin with a knife while he was urinating in the yard.

When Bindu heard the child's screams and tried to stop Shibu, he threw chilli powder on Bindu's face and beat her. After entering the house, Shibu stabbed the neck of Mebin who was eating grapes on the chair. Shibu then tried to commit suicide after pouring the diesel on the bedrooms on the ground and upper floors and setting it on fire.