Court sentences lover to 10 years of RI for stabbing woman in Mangaluru
An additional district and sessions court of Dakshina Kannada has sentenced Sushanth alias Shaan, 31, of Shaktinagar in Mangaluru to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment after convicting him for a gruesome attack on 21-year-old first-year MBA student named Deeksha near K.S. Hegde Hospital in Deralakatte in June 2019.
Second Additional District and Sessions Judge K.P. Preethi also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the convict for an attempt to murder while pronouncing the sentence on Friday, January 12. The convict was also sentenced to seven years RI and Rs 1 lakh fine for voluntarily causing hurt, one year RI and Rs 10,000 fine for outraging the modesty of a woman, one year simple imprisonment for wrongful restraint and Rs 10,000 fine for attempt to commit suicide. All the sentences will run concurrently, the judge said.
The chargesheet said Sushanth stabbed Deeksha, who was walking home, 14 times after following her on his motorcycle and waylaying her near Shantidhama at Deralakatte on June 28, 2019. K.S. Hegde Hospital staffer Steevan Lancy Pinto saw the incident from the hospital’s emergency ward and rushed to the spot with her colleague Nimmi Stephen in the hospital’s ambulance and rescued Deeksha. Sushanth, who had self-inflicted injuries over his neck and left wrist, was also treated at the hospital. Deeksha underwent treatment till July 27, 2019, and survived. Rejection of his love proposal was the reason for the attack.
“The manner and the number of injuries inflicted upon Deeksha is one of the important aggravating circumstances that reflects the cruel mind of the accused. It is so brutal.” Though Deeksha has survived, she has not yet recovered. “Her lifespan is completely reduced by the disabilities caused by Sushanth, which is as near as her murder,” the judge observed. Deeksha has undergone a total of 12 surgeries, the judge noted.
Out of Rs 2.11 lakh fine amount, Rs 2 lakh shall be paid as compensation to Deeksha. A recommendation is made to the District Legal Services Authority to assess a suitable amount of compensation to Deeksha, the Judge said.
