Mangalore: President rejects mercy petition of killer Vamanjoor Praveen
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Apr 5: The clemency petition filed with the President of India by Praveen Kumar from Heriyadka, who is one of the seven persons from Karnataka who had applied for clemency, requesting the President to commute their death sentences into life terms, has been rejected. The petition was rejected by the President on Thursday April 4, along with four others. The murders had occurred at Vamanjoor on the night of February 23, 1994, when Praveen had gone to the house of Appi to spend the night there.
The police had nabbed Praveen within a few days of the murder. He had confessed to the crime, and also showed to them the place where he had hidden the ornaments.
The death sentence announced by the lower court was later confirmed by the state High Court and Supreme Court. The Supreme Court’s decision had come in the year 2003, but the execution was kept pending as Pravin filed clemency petition thereafter.
Praveen hails from Heriyadka near Uppinangady in Puttur taluk. He and his wife used to do tailoring job for a Tamilian entrepreneur based in Chilimbi, Mangalore. For this purpose, Praveen used to stay with Appi often. To adjust funds required for his addiction towards single number lottery, Praveen had pledged ornaments belonging to his wife and family members, besides raising petty loans from various sources. Still, he was perennially facing financial crisis.
Praveen Kumar, killed four of his relatives with the purpose of robbing jewellery, as he was in urgent need of funds. It is said that he was in a debt trap, as he was avidly following the single number lottery prevalent then and had lost heavily. He killed Appi Serigarti, her daughter, Shakuntala, granddaughter, Deepika, and Appi’s son, Govind. Appi was the sister of Praveen’s father.
The husband of Shakuntala was employed in a foreign country. He had returned to native place a few days back, and Praveen thought it was ideal time to commit the crime, as he thought that Shakuntala’s husband would have brought cash and gold ornaments with him.
On the night of February 23, 1994, Praveen slept after dinner. At midnight, he got up to execute his plan, and hit the above four persons with the handle of an axe. Deepika was ten-year-old.
Later, Praveen escaped from the police while being brought to Mangalore court from Hindalga prison in Belgaum about a year after the crime. He took the opportunity provided by the fact that the police party took time off near Kallakatige near Karwar on the way for dinner. He escaped to Goa, where he married another girl and became the father of a female child. In the meanwhile, Appi’s son-in-law had announced reward of one lac rupees to any person giving information about Praveen. A person, who had come to know about the reward, gave information about Praveen’s whereabouts and bagged the purse. The personnel of the Anti Rowdy Squad visited Goa thereafter and arrested Praveen after about four years since his escape.
Also Read: