In a significant verdict, the Thiruvananthapuram Seventh Additional District Sessions Court sentenced Rajendran to death for the brutal murder of Vineetha in Ambalamukku. Judge Prasoon Mohan, delivering the judgment, emphasized the severity of the crime and ruled that no punishment short of the death penalty would be just. The court took into account detailed mental health evaluations and concluded that Rajendran showed no potential for reformation or rehabilitation.
Special Public Prosecutor M. Salahuddin strongly advocated for capital punishment, describing Rajendran as a remorseless, hardened criminal with a violent history. The prosecution revealed that he had committed four murders, three of which targeted women during robberies in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The court reviewed 11 official reports, including psychological assessments and recommendations from police, jail authorities, and the District Collector, all supporting the death penalty under the “rarest of rare” doctrine due to the gruesome nature of the crime.
The crime occurred on February 6, 2022, when Rajendran murdered Vineetha, an employee at a plant shop, by slitting her throat to steal her gold chain. Despite his plea that he had a dependent elderly mother, Rajendran showed no remorse during the trial, even claiming he did nothing wrong. His past, including the murder of a family in Tamil Nadu, reinforced the court’s belief that he posed a severe threat to society and should never be released.