A 24-year-old woman, Greeshma, was sentenced to death on Monday by a local court in Kerala for the cold-blooded murder of her 23-year-old boyfriend, Sharon Raj, two years ago.
Greeshma poisoned Sharon to end their romantic relationship. The court, which had convicted Greeshma and her uncle for the crime last week, ruled out leniency despite the defence highlighting her young age, academic achievements, clean criminal record, and status as her parents' only child.
The court emphasized that the gravity of the crime outweighed the mitigating factors presented by the defence.
The local court, which convicted both Greeshma and her uncle for the murder, cited circumstantial, digital, and scientific evidence in delivering the verdict. The court also dismissed the defence’s plea for leniency, emphasizing that the gravity of the crime took precedence over the accused’s age, academic record, and familial situation.
Greeshma is now the youngest woman in Kerala to face the death penalty. After the court's decision, the victim's lawyer, Special Public Prosecutor VS Vineeth Kumar, expressed confidence in the judgment, stating, "I was confident that evidence would be accepted by the court. I argued that this was a rare case, and capital punishment should be awarded. This is an exemplary judgment."
About the incident
In 2022, Greeshma poisoned her 23-year-old boyfriend, Sharon Raj, using an ayurvedic tonic mixed with paraquat, a toxic herbicide. Raj died 11 days later from multiple organ failure. Greeshma had planned the murder after Raj refused to end their relationship, which had become strained after her marriage was arranged with an army man from Tamil Nadu.
Officials revealed that Greeshma had previously attempted to poison Raj by mixing paracetamol tablets in his fruit juice. However, the plan failed when Raj refused to drink the juice due to its bitter taste.
The local court convicted Greeshma and her uncle for the murder, sentencing Greeshma to death. The court emphasized the severity of her crime, rejecting her plea for leniency based on her age, academic achievements, and being her parents’ only daughter. Greeshma is now the youngest woman in Kerala to face the death penalty.
Raj, a resident from Parassala in Thiruvananthapuram district, was pursuing a BSc in Radiology when he was tragically poisoned by Greeshma.
Greeshma was convicted on multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including murder. Her uncle, Nirmalakumaran Nair, was found guilty of destroying evidence. However, Greeshma’s mother, who had also been detained, was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.