Prabeesh maintained relationship with two women; trio engaged in sexual activity before Anitha was strangled

ALAPPUZHA: A court in Alappuzha has sentenced a 41-year-old man to death in the case involving the murder of a pregnant woman in Kainakary and the disposal of her body in the backwaters. The death sentence was handed to Prabeesh, a native of Muthuthode in Nilambur. The verdict was delivered by the Alappuzha Additional District Sessions Court. The victim, Anitha Sasidharan of Punnapra, was killed by Prabeesh and his partner Rajani (41). The crime took place on July 9, 2021. Earlier, the court had found both the first accused, Prabeesh, and the second accused, Rajani of Kainakary, guilty.

Anitha, a married woman and mother of two, was murdered by the couple. The case came to light after an unidentified body was found in the river near Pallathuruthy, prompting a detailed police investigation. Rajani, who is currently lodged in an Odisha jail in connection with a drug case, will be sentenced later. The court has ordered that she must be produced in person before sentencing.

Investigations revealed that Prabeesh had simultaneous relationships with both Anitha and Rajani. During this period, Anitha became pregnant and demanded that he marry her. Following this, she was brought to Rajani’s house in Kainakary, where she was murdered. Anitha and Prabeesh had first met while working at a farm in Kayamkulam. Their relationship deepened, and Anitha left her husband and two children to live with him for nearly two years in Kozhikode, Palakkad, and Thrissur. It was during this time that she became pregnant.

Meanwhile, Prabeesh was also involved with Rajani, a married woman who had also abandoned her family for him. When both women began insisting on marriage, Prabeesh and Rajani attempted to force Anitha to terminate her pregnancy. They lured her to Rajani’s house under the pretence of marriage plans. All three then engaged in sexual activity, and during this time, Prabeesh and Rajani strangled Anitha and smothered her to prevent any noise. Believing she had died, they attempted to dump her body in the river. However, the boat they used capsized, and the pair fled, leaving the unconscious Anitha behind. She ultimately died due to drowning.

The following evening, around 7 p.m., Anitha’s body surfaced near the Arayanthodu bridge in Pallathuruthy. The postmortem confirmed the death was a result of homicide. By tracing her mobile phone records, the police identified and arrested the accused.