Chennai: Moments before a sessions judge found an undertrial guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment, the suspect attempted suicide by slitting his throat inside the court on Thursday.The incident occurred at the sessions court in the Chennai Collectorate complex, where seven accused, including Manikandan, 32, of Kodungaiyur, were produced for the verdict in a homicide case.
As proceedings were about to conclude, Manikandan suddenly pulled out a blade hidden in his shirt collar and inflicted deep cuts on his neck, stomach and chest, as the judge and lawyers looked on. The North Beach police personnel immediately intervened and rushed him to Govt Stanley Hospital.Despite the commotion, judicial proceedings continued. The judge found three of the accused — Manikandan, Suresh and another individual also named Manikandan — guilty of murder and sentenced each to life imprisonment with a fine of 3,000. The remaining four were acquitted as the prosecution failed to prove charges against them. Following stabilisation, Manikandan was discharged and sent to Puzhal central prison along with other two convicts.North Beach police initiated a separate inquiry into the security lapse to determine how the convict managed to smuggle a sharp object into the court.(Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on TN’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)
