2 held guilty in Kerala in Latvian’s rape-murder
Prosecution said later both, a drug peddler and a guide, strangled her to death using her shawl in an isolated place. They also tried to disguise it as a suicide and tied her body to a tree later. But the post-mortem report found that she was drugged heavily, raped repeatedly and strangulated to death
Nearly four years after a Latvian tourist was raped and killed in famous beach destination Kovalam in south Kerala, a court in the state capital on Friday found two accused guilty and their sentence will be delivered on Monday.
The 33-year-old woman came to Kerala for Ayurveda treatment in February 2018. She was reported missing from the clinic on March 14, 2018 and her decapitated body was recovered a month later from Kovalam. Two weeks after the murder, police arrested two accused, P Umesh and Udaya Kumar, in connection with the case.
According to the prosecution, the two got friendly with her and lured her to a scenic spot near the beach and offered her ganja-filled beedi. When she turned high, the two sexually assaulted her. When she regained consciousness, she got enraged and threatened to approach the police. Prosecution said later both, a drug peddler and a guide, strangled her to death using her shawl in an isolated place. They also tried to disguise it as a suicide and tied her body to a tree later. But the post-mortem report found that she was drugged heavily, raped repeatedly and strangulated to death.
Police later booked the duo for abduction, rape, drugging the victim and murder. There were 30 witnesses in the case and two of them later turned hostile.
Kovalam beach being a major tour destination the case brought national attention. Later her sister cremated the body and her ashes were taken to her country. She had to run around a lot for speedy trial and last year the high court had directed the trial court, Thiruvananthapuram sessions court, to speed up the trial and deliver verdict.
The sister of the accused was also allowed to view court proceedings online from Ireland, where she is settled now, after the Latvian Embassy moved an application in the court. Legal experts said this was the first time, at least in south India, a foreign national was allowed to view court proceedings live. The sister later took to social media to thank all who helped her. “I am really happy. My sister got justice. Many people helped me in my pursuit for justice I really thank them,” she said.