- A prison escape bid by the convict in the Soumya murder case has brought the focus back on the 2011 crime
- Soumya (23) was raped and murdered by Govindachamy, who was later arrested
- He was initially awarded death penalty that was later reduced to life sentence
A prison escape attempt by Govindachamy, a convict in the Soumya murder case, has once again brought the chilling 2011 crime back into the spotlight. The one-armed convict, also known as Charley Thomas, was serving a life sentence at the high-security Kannur Central Jail when he went missing in the early hours of Friday.
Authorities were alerted during a routine inspection of his cell. A massive search operation was launched immediately, according to news agency ANI.
The missing convict was located within a few hours in Kannur, Manorama reported. Upon noticing the police, Govindachamy attempted to hide inside a well but was apprehended and taken back into custody.
The attempted escape has raised serious questions about security lapses within one of Kerala's most fortified prisons. Authorities have ordered a probe to ascertain how he managed to slip out unnoticed.
But who is Govindachamy, and why has this case left a lasting scar on Kerala's collective memory?
The Soumya Murder Case
The crime dates back to February 1, 2011. Soumya, a 23-year-old sales assistant working at a shopping mall in Kochi, was travelling alone in the ladies' compartment of a train from Ernakulam to Shoranur.
During the journey, Govindachamy entered her coach, attacked her and pushed her out of the moving train near Vallathol Nagar station.
What followed was even more horrifying. According to Manorama Online, Govindachamy jumped off the train, found the injured woman lying on the tracks, and raped her near another railway line. After the assault, he fled the scene after stealing her mobile phone and cash from her purse.
The victim, unable to move for over an hour, was eventually found by locals and rushed to Mulankunnathukavu Medical College Hospital. Govindachamy was arrested in Palakkad on February 4. The woman succumbed to injuries two days later, on February 6, 2011.
A Legal And Public Uproar
Govindachamy's criminal history and the brutal nature of the attack shocked Kerala. In 2012, a fast-track court handed him the death penalty, describing him as a habitual offender. The judge observed that the rape had directly led to Soumya's death and that the case had shocked the collective conscience of society.
But the legal battle did not end there. In 2016, the Supreme Court set aside the murder conviction, saying there wasn't enough evidence to prove that the injuries leading to Soumya's death were caused by Govindachamy pushing her from the train. The court, however, upheld the life sentence for rape, maintaining that his actions were undeniably barbaric.
The Soumya case became a rallying point for women's safety in public transport, and is often cited as one of Kerala's most distressing criminal cases.
