Kerala court finds businessman guilty of murdering guard with Hummer

A Kerala court on Wednesday convicted beedi tycoon Mohammed Nisham, who had crushed to death a security guard with his luxury vehicle Hummer over delay in opening the gates of a posh residential complex in Thrissur on January 29 last year.

The quantum of punishment would be pronounced in Thrissur on Thursday  by the Additional Sessions Court which found Nisham guilty under various sections of IPC including 302 (murder), 326 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons, 427 (committing mischief).

The prosecution on Wednesday argued for maximum punishment of death sentence and a compensation of Rs 5 crore to the family of the 51-year-old security guard Chandrabose.

Public Prosecutor C P Udayabhanu submitted that the "society wanted the maximum punishment meted out to the accused, who was a threat to the society".

Police charge sheet had contained scientific evidence and other documents to prove the charges, including murder, against Nisham.

Though Nisham's wife Amal was a witness to the incident, she had later turned hostile.

Statements of 12 eyewitnesses, including that of Amal, had been been recorded under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Besides, statements of over 100 witnesses had also been recorded and attached with the charge sheet.

Nisham, who was in an inebriated state, had allegedly in a fit of rage assaulted Chandrabose and later rammed his luxury vehicle into him over delay in opening the gate of his residential complex in Thrissur on January 29 last year.

The guard succumbed to injuries on February 16.

The case had evoked widespread protests across the state.

Image: Mohammed Nisham killed security guard Chandrabose last year. Photograph: Mohammed Nisham/ Facebook