1994 Vamanjoor murders: Kin of victims raise objection to early release of killer

Mangaluru: The kin of the four persons killed by Praveen Kumar in a sensational murder case in 1994 have raised objections to the state government’s proposal to release the convict early, as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

It is learned that the District Superintendent of Police has been instructed to seek the opinion of his relatives regarding his release.

The victim’s family, however, has opposed the move and has decided to appeal to the government through the State Director General of Police for not releasing Praveen for any reason.

Case Details:

Praveen Kumar, a resident of Uppinangadi Periadka in Dakshina Kannada district, had murdered his aunt (father’s sister) Appi Sherigarthi, her son Govinda, daughter Shakuntala and Shakuntala’s daughter Deepika in Vanmanjoor on the midnight of February 23, 1994.

This case created a big sensation in the country. Allegations against Praveen were proved from the lower court to the Supreme Court. In 2003, the Supreme Court sentenced him to death.

Praveen, who complained about this, appealed to the President for mercy, which remained pending for 10 years.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court upheld the order canceling the death sentence of the three convicted of killing former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Based on this, Praveen approached the Supreme Court again, which later commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment.

Praveen is currently lodged at the Hindalaga jail in Belagavi.

It is said that the District SP’s office has been ordered by the State Prisons and Correctional Department on June 23 to collect an opinion report on the early release of Praveen.

On behalf of the victim’s family, Sitharama of Gurupur expressed his concerns and objection. Praveen who brutally murdered his kin for money is a danger to society. Even his family is worried about him being released.  Releasing such a person is an insult to the Amrit Mahotsava of the Independence Day, he opined.

Meanwhile, DK Superintendent of Police Hrishikesh Sonawane said that he had no information about the release of the convict. “I will check on this,” he said.