Death Penalty Handed Down to Man Who Killed 5, Including His 3 Children

Bengaluru: The Dharward Bench of the High Court of Karnataka has upheld the death sentence of a man who brutally murdered five individuals, including his three young children. The division bench, comprising Justice Suraj Govindaraj and Justice G Basavaraja, confirmed the trial court’s decision, stating that the heinous nature of the crime and its extreme brutality warrant the rarest of rare punishment.

The convicted individual, Byluru Thippaiah, a labourer from Kenchanagudda Halli in Kampli, Hosapete, Ballari, suspected his wife of infidelity, leading to frequent quarrels. On February 25, 2017, Thippaiah attacked his wife, Pakkeeramma, with a chopper. He also assaulted his sister-in-law, Gangamma, and his three children, Pavithra, Nagaraj, and Rajappa, all of whom tragically lost their lives due to the injuries sustained.

The Sessions Court at Ballari conducted an extensive trial, examining 36 witnesses and 51 material objects before finding Thippaiah guilty and sentencing him to death on December 3, 2019, under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. Thippaiah appealed against the sentence, while the prosecution sought confirmation of the death penalty from the High Court.

The High Court, in its judgment, expressed profound shock at the brutality of the crime. It described the manner in which Thippaiah attacked the two women and three children, causing multiple injuries and subsequently declaring his actions while holding a bloodied chopper outside the house. The court acknowledged that such actions would shock the conscience of anyone and even affected their own sensibilities despite dealing with numerous murder cases in the past.

Along with confirming the death sentence, the High Court ordered the payment of compensation to Rajeshwari, the sole surviving child of the massacre. The concerned file was directed to be forwarded to the District Legal Service Authority to facilitate the necessary arrangements.