The Kerala high court on Monday upheld the death sentence handed over to Muhammed Ameer-ul-Islam by a trial court after he was found guilty of raping and brutally murdering a female Dalit law student in Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district in 2016.
Ameer-ul-Islam was found guilty in December 2017 of a number of offenses by the Ernakulam Principal District and Sessions Court, including trespassing, wrongful imprisonment, rape, and murder.
During the trial, the prosecution contended that the accused had entered the victim’s home while intoxicated and made an attempt to rape her. When she refused to submit, the accused used a sharp object to severely hurt her privates before killing her.
The victim, a member of the Scheduled Caste community, lived in Perumbavoor with her mother while she was pursuing her legal studies. The town is a key hub for migrant workers in the state and is located 40 kilometers from Kochi.