Mother Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Throwing 18-Month-Old into the Sea

Thaliparambu: In a tragic case where an 18- month -old child was killed by being thrown into the sea, the mother, Sharanya, has been sentenced to life imprisonment and fined one lakh rupees. The verdict was delivered by the Thaliparamba Additional District Court. Sharanya’s friend and the second accused, P Nidhin, who was staying at Punnakkan House in Varam, Valayannur, was acquitted.

The incident took place on February 17, 2020. Sharanya allegedly took Viyan, who was sleeping with her father, Pranav, at their Thayyil Koduvalli residence, and threw her into the sea, resulting in the child’s death. The court could not establish conspiracy or abetment against Nidhin. Sections 120B and 109, initially invoked against both accused, were found inapplicable.

According to the case, Sharanya lured the child out of the house under the pretext of giving her milk and carried her to a seawall about 60 metres away, from which she dropped the child from a height of roughly nine metres. In the early hours of the morning, when Viyan was missing, Pranav filed a police complaint. The child’s body was later recovered from the sea. A relative of Sharanya had previously filed a complaint against Pranav, but police investigations confirmed that Sharanya was the perpetrator.

The motive for the crime was reportedly to live with her friend while shifting the blame onto her husband. The trial included testimony from 47 witnesses, 84 documents, and 19 physical pieces of evidence. While out on bail, Sharanya attempted suicide just before the trial in Thaliparamba Court began. She reportedly tried to take her life in a hotel near Kozhikode Railway Station when she appeared in court. The trial officially commenced on January 20, 2025.