Kerala: Naseer has been convicted in the Tinju murder case and sentenced to life imprisonment along with a fine
PATHANAMTHITTA: Naseer (Neymon-46), the accused in the case of raping and hanging a woman alive, has been sentenced to life imprisonment. In addition to the life sentence, he received 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 1 lakh for the rape charge, as well as seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 50,000 for housebreaking. These sentences will be served concurrently. The decision was made by Judge G. P. Jayakrishnan of the Pathanamthitta Additional District Court (1). The victim was Tinju Michael, aged 26.The incident that shook the state was on December 15, 2019. Tinju, a nurse at a private hospital in Thiruvalla, had left her husband and was living with her lover, Tijin Joseph. Naseer, a timber merchant and neighbour, was an acquaintance of Tijin’s father. On the day of the incident, Tijin and his father were out, leaving Tinju home alone.When Naseer arrived at this time, he tried to subdue Tinju by force in the bedroom, causing Tinju to hit her head on the bed and become unconscious. After brutally raping Tinju, she was hung from an iron hook on the ceiling with a noose around her neck. Tinju’s body showed signs of 53 injuries.The Perumpetty police had been investigating, suspecting Tijin. Tijin had to stay in the hospital following the police assault. Following Tijin’s complaint, the investigation was handed over to the District Crime Branch in February 2020. Public Prosecutor Adv Harishankar Prasad appeared for the prosecution.Naseer caught by timber merchants’ knotIn a case where there were no eyewitnesses, it was the investigative skills of the Crime Branch that led to the arrest of the accused, a timber merchant. A crucial turning point in the case occurred when it was discovered that the noose used to tie the body was typically used by timber merchants. The three suspects who were near the house on the day of the incident, including local resident Nazir, were questioned continuously. The scientific investigation conducted by then-Crime Branch Deputy Superintendent of Police R. Prathapan Nair revealed that a sexual assault and murder had taken place. A blood sample collected from beneath the victim’s nails served as a vital clue.
