Key Points:
The Kollam Additional Sessions Court convicted G Sandeep for the brutal 2023 murder of 22-year-old doctor Vandana Das at Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital.
The prosecution proved the attack was intentional, and the court ruled that Sandeep was not protected under Section 84 of the IPC.
The court will announce the final sentence on March 19, 2026.
In a shocking development in the high-profile Dr Vandana murder case, the Kollam Additional Sessions Court has found key accused G Sandeep guilty on March 17, 2026. The verdict follows the shocking incident dating back to May 10, 2023, when a young female doctor was stabbed multiple times to death at Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital in Kollam, Kerala.
Dr Vandana’s murder caused widespread outrage among healthcare workers across the state, who demanded justice for the victim. Vandana Das was a 22-year-old duty doctor who met her tragic fate while performing her duties.
See Also: Kerala High Court Division Bench to Examine Challenge Against ‘Dr’ Title for Physiotherapists
The assailant was identified as a 42-year-old man named G Sandeep, who was brought to the taluk hospital after informing the police that he had sustained a leg injury and was concerned about his safety. Sandeep, a preschool teacher hailing from Pooyapalli in Kollam, was taken to the hospital by the police and was receiving treatment in the early hours of May 10, 2023.
The assailant suddenly went on a rampage and attacked a police officer and another person present there. The remaining witnesses fled the scene, except for Dr Vandana, who was stabbed with a pair of scissors.
The prosecution argued that the attack was deliberate and proved during the trial. The special prosecutor stated that the accused attempted to evade responsibility by faking mental illness.
Following the verdict that found Sandeep guilty, the court will announce the final sentence on March 19, 2026.
The judge stated that the assailant, who was accused of murdering the 22-year-old victim, is not protected under Section 84 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Sandeep was found guilty of murder, and the judge further convicted him under relevant sections of the IPC.
Under Section 84 of the IPC, an act is not regarded as an offence if it is committed by a person with “unsound mind” or if the person is “incapable of knowing the nature of the act” they committed.
See Also: Calcutta High Court Division Bench Recuses Self from Hearing RG Kar Rape & Murder Case
Sandeep was convicted under eight other sections of the IPC, which include attempt to murder, destruction of evidence, among other crimes. According to Onmanorama, advocate Prathap G Padikkal, who appeared on behalf of the prosecution, stated that the prosecution had proven its case. He said that Sandeep was aware that there were multiple eyewitnesses at the crime scene, so he came up with a plan to escape criminal charges.
“He found insanity to be the only way to save himself,” Padikkal said. He further added that while Sandeep was in prison in Thiruvananthapuram, he studied psychiatry books in detail and “tried to mislead the team of psychiatrists who assessed him.” Doctors who conducted Sandeep’s psychiatric evaluation stated that there was no evidence of mental illness.
Vandana Das’s mother reacted to the verdict and said she would respond after the court pronounces the sentence, which will take place on March 19, 2026.
[VS]
Suggested Reading: