NewsKarnataka-Mangalore

Mangalore : Praveen Kumar, the Vamanjoor serial killer is one among the seven convicts from Karnataka who will benefit from the Supreme Court ruling on January 21, Tuesday converting the death penalty to a total of 15 convicts to life term.

The Supreme Court has contended that the unreasonable delay in the disposal of mercy petitions by the President or governors could be a ground to commute death sentence.

Praveen had brutally hacked to death four  of his relatives, all members of a family  at Vamanjoor on the night of February 23, 1994. The killed included  Appi Sherigarthi, her daughter Shakuntala, granddaughter Deepika and Govinda who was Appi Sherigarthi’s son.

The Mangalore Sessions Court had first held Praveen Guilty of the crime in 2002. Later the High Court too upheld the death sentence in October 2003.

Four of the other six convicts from Karnataka who will benefit from the Supreme Court ruling are the associates of forest brigand Veerappan namely Bilavendran, Simon, Gnanprakasam and Madiah. The other two are  Shivu and Jadeswamy who are charged with rape and murder.

A three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice P Sathasivam also laid down guidelines to “safeguard” the interests of death row convicts in view of disparities in different state prison manuals and the procedure adopted to deal with mercy petitions.

The 12 points listed out by the court mandated the authorities, among others, to give a minimum 14-day notice before execution, mental health evaluation, final meeting with families and post mortem of the convicts after hanging.