Daijiworld Media Network-Mangaluru (RJP)

Mangaluru, Apr 28: 6th district and sessions court here on April 27 has delivered the verdict in the Malati rape and murder case of 2011 and convicted the accused. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on Thursday, April 28.

Harish Kulal (23) is the person convicted.

Malati (22) was working as store keeper for a firm in Beluvai near Moodbidri. She was raped and murdered on a deserted stretch of the road at Kaddbail in Padukonaje village on May 16 in 2011.

Harish was only 18 at the time of the crime. He followed Malati when she alighted from a bus at Houdal, and started walking through the deserted road leading to her home. He pestered her for sexual favours when she was about a kilometer away from her home. But she refused to oblige. He then stuffed clothes into her mouth, raped her and then killed her.

Harish who worked for a cashew factory had several vices. He was also a distant relative of the deceased woman. Harish was apprehended from his home on the next day of the crime by the villagers. Then he was handed over to the police.

Moodbidri PSI Ramesh Kumar had registered the case and inspector A K Thimmayya had submitted the chargesheet to the court after investigations.

22 witnesses had testified in this case. Shivaprasad Alva was the public prosecutor first and then Olga Margaret Crasta took over from him.

Harish was lodged in Mangaluru jail initially, and then due to his bad behaviour he was shifted to Madikeri jail. He was again shifted to Chamarajanagar jail for the same. But the jail authorities, who were unhappy with his behaviour again, shifted him to Bengaluru jail where he was lodged till recently.