A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years rigorous imprisonment by a court here for driving his lover to commit suicide by backtracking on his commitment to marry her.
Rajendran, a real estate businessman of Gangapuram, and Sathya (27) of Rayarpalayam in Chithode were lovers. At the intervention of the girl's family, he agreed to marry her and received ten sovereigns of gold jewels some 18 months ago.
However, he later declined to marry Sathya despite her repeated pleas. Frustrated over this, she went to Rajendran's house and ended her life by consuming poison early this year.
On a complaint from her mother, police arrested Rajendran and registered a case against him and the trial was conducted in the Second Additional Sessions court.
On Friday, Judge Ezhil sentenced Rajendran to seven years rigorous imprisonment under section 306 IPC (abetment of suicide).