Court denies bail to accused in murder of house surgeon

The Kollam Principal Sessions Court on Thursday denied bail to Sandeep, the accused in the sensational Vandana Das murder case. The house surgeon was stabbed to death by Sandeep who was taken to the Kottarakara taluk hospital for treatment by the Pooyapalli police on May 10. The defence lawyer had pointed out that the murder was not intentional due to the mental state of the accused and that he had the right for bail. The accused had also attacked and injured some others, including Rajendran Pillai, Binu, an ambulance driver and police officers. Judge M.B. Snehalatha observed that there were prima facie evidence to slap murder charges on the accused and he was denied bail considering the possibilities of him influencing and intimidating the witnesses and repeating the crime. According to autopsy report, Vandana was stabbed 26 times and the cause of death was internal organ damage due to fatal wounds inflicted by surgical scissors on the chest. Sandeep has been booked for murder, attempt to murder and rioting and violence at the hospital. District government pleader and public prosecutor R. Sethunath appeared for the prosecution.