Mangaluru: Court convicts accused in Soumya murder case

Mangaluru, 02 Dec 2014: The Sixth Additional District and Sessions court, and Special Court for sexual assault cases on Tuesday, December 2 convicted the accused in connection with attempt to rape and murder case of Soumya (22) in Baltila village, Kalladka in Bantwal on Febraury 24, 2013.

 

The quantum of punishment will be announced on December 5.

 

The accused is Satish (25) a resident of Balthila.

 

Judge Pushpanjali Devi convicted Satish under section  302, 376, 511, 392 and 201, for murder, attempt to rape and destruction of evidence.

 

Statements of 26 witnesses were recorded in addition to medical reports and police investigation reports.

 

Soumya was the sole bread winner of her family, which consists of her parents and four siblings.

 

Upon completion of D.Ed course, Soumya had secured a job in Manipal a fortnight before her death. She was staying with her aunt in Udupi.

 

On the fateful day she had come to her hometown from Udupi to collect documents as she also wanted to apply for a government teacher’s post. Satish who had seen her walking forcibly dragged her to an isolated spot and tried to rape her. When she resisted he is said to have pushed her into a pond nearby. When she was being dragged Soumya’s mobile phone had fallen on the road.

 

A lady identified as Vidya, Soumya’s neighbour who had found the mobile phone on the road had kept the phone with her.

 

When Soumya had not reached home her mother called her friend Maithri who in turn tried Soumya’s phone. Vidya had received the call and informed Maithri about the spot where the phone was found. Locals immediately launched a search operation and reached the spot where they found Soumya’s footwear, shawl, watch and also Satish’s shawl. Soumya’s body was then recovered from the pond with injury marks. Her gold chain was missing.

 

The police took up the preliminary investigation and found out that Satish was seen at the same spot on that day by a woman named Lucy Sequeira who was volunteering for polio drops campaign. Lucy who also had heard Soumya’s plea for help had rushed to the spot and had seen Satish. Lucy had also informed another lady named Devaki about the incident. In addition to the two ladies a man identified as P S Mohan had also spotted Satish returning from the pond. Another witness Monappa Poojary who had deposed before the court had also stated that he had heard Soumya’s scream and had seen Satish in wet clothes.

 

The Police which sprung into action arrested Satish from Balthila bus stop. During interrogation Satish admitted to the crime and said that he had strangled Soumya to death when she resisted his rape attempt. Soumya’s gold chain was recovered from his house later.

 

The public prosecutor while arguing the case urged the Judge to award life sentence to Satish as this was not the first time he had tried to molest Soumya. Three years ago too Satish had tried to molest her. However no complaint was filed as Satish had told her parents that he would not trouble Soumya after they had warned him.

 

A complaint was also filed against Satish in Kalladka police station for trying to molest a primary school girl.