Priyaranjan, a resident of Pulinchode, was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs 10 lakh by the Thiruvananthapuram Additional Sessions Court on May 6, 2025, for the murder of Adishekhar, a Class 10 student.
According to the prosecution, the incident stemmed from a confrontation in April 2023, when Adishekhar, son of Deepa and Arun Kumar, questioned Priyaranjan for urinating on the walls of the Bhadrakali Temple in Pulinkode. The boy was about to leave on his bicycle when Priyaranjan, in a fit of rage, drove his car into him on August 30, 2023, killing him.
Special Public Prosecutor V S Vineeth Kumar said Priyaranjan harboured resentment after being confronted. The following month, he attempted to assault the boy by twisting his arm. Adishekhar’s grandmother intervened, and his father Arun Kumar filed a police complaint.
Priyaranjan has denied the charges, claiming the death was an accident. He told the court that he had been distracted during a phone call with his wife and was unfamiliar with his newly purchased electric car. However, CCTV footage reportedly showed Priyaranjan had parked his vehicle and waited for the boy to cycle past before deliberately hitting him.
A day after the incident, Priyaranjan’s wife returned from abroad, and the couple travelled to various locations in Tamil Nadu and Mysuru.
“Though initially treated as a hit-and-run, the investigation led by then Circle Inspector Shibu uncovered CCTV footage that confirmed it was a premeditated act,” the prosecutor added. The charges were later amended accordingly.