Mangaluru: Man gets death penalty for killing his three children and attempting to kill wife

Mangaluru: A 43-year-old man has been sentenced to death by the Hon’ble Third Additional District and Sessions Court in Mangaluru for killing his three children and attempting to murder his wife.

The court held that the accused, identified as Hithesh Shettigat aka Hithesh Kumar Thalipady village in Mangaluru taluk, was found guilty of murdering his children Rashmitha (14 years), Uday Kumar (11 years), and Dakshit alias Daksh Kumar (4 years).

The gruesome incident that occurred on June 23, 2022. The accused threw his children into a well near his house. Following this, at around 5:35 PM, he also attempted to kill his wife, Lakshmi, by pushing her into the same well when she returned home and started searching for her children.

The accused, reportedly frustrated by his inability to provide for his family due to unemployment, planned the murders thinking it would free him from his responsibilities. His wife, Lakshmi, survived the attempt.

Investigation

A case was registered at Mulki police station under FIR No. 42/2022. Inspector Kusumadhar K. completed the investigation and filed a charge sheet against the accused under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The trial, held at the Third Additional District and Sessions Court in Mangaluru, involved the examination of 32 prosecution witnesses. Based on evidence, records, and witness testimonies, the court found Hithesh guilty of the charges.

On December 30, 2024,  Judge Sandhya S. sentenced the accused to Death penalty under Section 302 IPC for the murder of his children and 10 years of imprisonment under Section 307 IPC for attempting to kill his wife.

The court also directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide appropriate compensation to the surviving victim, Lakshmi.

Advocate Mohan Kumar B. argued on behalf of the prosecution.