College student murder: Surat court sentences stalker to death

Surat, May 5

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A court in Surat sentenced stalker Fenil Goyani to death for killing 21-year-old college student Grishma Vekariya in February this year, terming it as a “rarest of the rare” case. A video clip of the incident had created a huge uproar after it went viral on social media platforms.

Citing the Nirbhaya case of Delhi, Surat’s Principal Sessions and District Judge VK Vyas said strict punishment is needed to deter people from indulging in such crimes against women. Vekariya’s parents and Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi welcomed the court’s verdict, which came just 70 days after the incident.

Many onlookers had captured the entire incident on their smartphones. The video clips and the eyewitness accounts of 25 people proved as crucial pieces of evidence for the prosecution.

Goyani had on February 12 slit the throat of Vekariya, a resident of Kamrej in Gujarat’s Surat city, in front of her family members and neighbours. He was upset after she refused to be in a relationship with him. He had also stabbed Vekariya’s brother and uncle when they tried to rescue her and later injured himself with the same knife.

The police, who first took him to a hospital in Kamrej, had arrested him on February 16. The police had filed a 2,500-page charge sheet within a week of the incident, and later also submitted 120 documentary pieces of evidence to strengthen the case.

While delivering the judgement on Thursday, the judge noted that Goyani had shown no signs of remorse during the entire case trial. Describing the crime scene, judge Vyas also said the accused had shown no mercy while slitting Vekariya’s throat using a large knife.

Victim’s father, Nandlal Vekariya, said, “Such a punishment is needed to send a strong message in society that the guilty will not be spared. I am also thankful to minister Sanghavi, former MLA Praful Pansuria and Kamrej police for extending support to my family and ensuring delivery of justice in just 70 days.”