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{{Short description|1980 crime in Kerala, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox event
| title = Karikkanvilla murder
| image =
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| native_name = കരിക്കൻവില്ല കൊലപാതകം
| native_name_lang = ml
| english_name =
| time =
| duration =
| date = 6 October 1980
| venue =
| location = Meenthalakkara, [[Tiruvalla]], [[Kerala]], India
| coordinates = {{coord|9|22|59|N|76|35|32|E}}
| also known as =
| type =
| theme =
| cause =
| first reporter =
| participants =
| outcome =
| casualties1 = K. C. George
| casualties2 = Rachel George
| casualties3 =
| reported deaths = Two
| reported injuries =
| reported property damage =
| burial =
| inquiries =
| inquest =
| coroner =
| arrests =
| suspects =
| accused = Reni George<br>Gulam Mohammed<br>Gunashekharan<br>Kiblo Daniel
| convicted =
| charges = Murder and theft
| verdict = Life imprisonment for all the accused
| convictions =
| publication bans =
| litigation =
| url =
| blank1_label = 
| blank2_label = 
| website = 
| notes =
}}

The '''Karikkanvilla murder''' is a criminal incident occurred at Meenthalakkara in [[Tiruvalla]], in the south Indian state of [[Kerala]] in 1980. The murder was one of the criminal cases which drew considerable media and public interest in Kerala, which eventually led to the arrest and conviction of all the four accused. The case also led to a debate on the legal and moral implications of [[capital punishment]] as the prime accused, Reni George, went on to become a noted social worker.

==Incident==
On the morning of 7 October 1980, Gowri, a house maid, found her employers dead, early in the morning when she reported at their house for the daily chores.<ref name="State Of Kerala vs Reny George And Ors.">{{cite web | url=http://indiankanoon.org/doc/1212530/ | title=State Of Kerala vs Reny George And Ors. | publisher=India Kanoon | date=2015 | accessdate=3 October 2015}}</ref><ref name="Testimony by Bro.Reni George (Madrasile Mon)">{{cite web | url=http://karnatakachristians.com/videos/1697/malayalam-christian-testimony-by-bro.reni-george-(madrasile-mon) | title=Testimony by Bro.Reni George (Madrasile Mon) | publisher=Karnataka Christians | date=2015 | accessdate=3 October 2015 | archive-date=12 June 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170612131250/http://karnatakachristians.com/videos/1697/malayalam-christian-testimony-by-bro.reni-george-(madrasile-mon) | url-status=dead }}</ref> She was working for Mr. K. C. George and Rachel George, an issue-less aged couple living a retired life in their home, Karikkanvilla, in Meenthalakkara, a remote village near the [[Kerala]] town of [[Tiruvalla]]. The matter was reported to [[Kerala Police]], who launched an investigation into the apparently unnatural deaths. The crime scene did not leave any clues except for some foot marks and the police found out the marks were made by shoes manufactured outside India.<ref name="Madrasile Mon (1982)">{{cite web | url=http://www.amc.com/movie/1982/Madrasile+Mon | title=Madrasile Mon (1982) | publisher=AMC | date=2015 | accessdate=3 October 2015}}</ref>

==Crime and investigation==
The case was handed over to Siby Mathews,<ref name="New CIC Siby Mathews to be sworn in on Saturday">{{cite web | url=http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/71484-kerala-new-cic-siby-mathews-sworn-saturday.html | title=New CIC Siby Mathews to be sworn in on Saturday | publisher=Right To Information India | date=21 April 2011 | accessdate=3 October 2015 | archive-date=6 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306014231/http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/71484-kerala-new-cic-siby-mathews-sworn-saturday.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> who would later become one of the most accomplished police officers in Kerala service.<ref name="Former DGP Siby Mathews to pen autobiography">{{cite web | url=http://english.manoramaonline.com/news/kerala/siby-mathews-to-write-autobiography-isro-spy-case.html | title=Former DGP Siby Mathews to pen autobiography | publisher=Malayala Manorama | date=5 August 2015 | accessdate=3 October 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923081240/http://english.manoramaonline.com/news/kerala/siby-mathews-to-write-autobiography-isro-spy-case.html | archive-date=23 September 2015 | url-status=dead }}</ref> On interrogation by police, the maid informed them that the couple expected one of their relatives, whom they referred to as ''Madrasile Mon'' (son from Madras), to pay a visit to them during those days. This led the trail to [[Chennai]] (then known as Madras), and to Reni George, a close relative of the murdered couple.<ref name="Testimony of Br Reny George">{{cite web | url=http://www.malayaleechristian.net/apps/videos/videos/show/13675915-testimony-of-br-reny-george | title=Testimony of Br Reny George | publisher=Malayalee Christian | date=2015 | accessdate=3 October 2015 | archive-date=21 June 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621222444/https://www.malayaleechristian.net/apps/videos/videos/show/13675915-testimony-of-br-reny-george | url-status=dead }}</ref> Further investigations led to his arrest, along with three of his accomplices, Gulam Mohammed aka Chen, Gunasekharan, and Kiblo Daniel,<ref name="Prison Fellowship of India">{{cite web | url=http://www.renys-children.org/aboutus.html | title=Prison Fellowship of India | publisher=Reny's Children | date=2015 | accessdate=3 October 2015}}</ref> the first from Mauritius, second from Malaysia and the last named, from Kenya.<ref name="Testimony of Br Reny George" />

It was revealed, during the investigation, that Reni George and his three accomplices were drug addicts.<ref name="Bro. Reny George">{{cite web | url=http://www.renys-children.org/ | title=Bro. Reny George | publisher=Reny's Children | date=2015 | accessdate=3 October 2015}}</ref> In order to raise money for footing their drug bills,<ref name="Bro. Reny George" /> they hatched a plot to kill and rob K. C. George and Rachel, who were closely related to the main accused.<ref name="Testimony of Br Reny George" /> The couple were leading a retired life after their return from abroad and the culprits found them as easy targets. They reached Tiruvalla by road from Chennai and, on the night of 6 October 1980, beat the couple to death and escaped with money and jewelry, after wiping out the crime trails. Three of the accused, Reni George, Gulam Muhammad and Gunasekharan were apprehended soon and Kiblo Daniel surrendered to the police.<ref name="തുമ്പുണ്ടാക്കിയത് ‘മദ്രാസിലെ മോൻ’; കരിക്കൻവില്ല കൊലക്കേസിന് നാലു പതിറ്റാണ്ട്">{{Cite web |title=തുമ്പുണ്ടാക്കിയത് ‘മദ്രാസിലെ മോൻ’; കരിക്കൻവില്ല കൊലക്കേസിന് നാലു പതിറ്റാണ്ട് |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/district-news/pathanamthitta/2020/10/06/pathanamthitta-karikkan-villa-murder-case.html |access-date=2020-10-06 |website=ManoramaOnline |language=ml}}</ref> Subsequent to their arrest, the accused were remanded to judicial custody and were housed at the Sub Jail in [[Mavelikkara]].<ref name="State Of Kerala vs Reny George And Ors." />

==Legal proceedings==
[[Kerala Police]] filed a case against the four accused, with Reni George as the prime accused, at the Additional Sessions Court, [[Mavelikkara]].<ref name="State Of Kerala vs Reny George And Ors." /> However, the case was shifted to the Sessions Court, [[Alappuzha]], on request from the accused.<ref name="State Of Kerala vs Reny George And Ors." /> The court returned a verdict of [[capital punishment]] for the accused, which was later reduced to [[life imprisonment]]. The culprits served out 15 years of jail terms and were released on 23 June 1995.<ref name="Bro. Reny George" /><ref name="Where are they now?">{{cite web | url=http://www.epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMDkvMDkvMjAjQXIwMTIwMg== | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305015816/http://www.epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMDkvMDkvMjAjQXIwMTIwMg== | url-status=dead | archive-date=5 March 2016 | title=Where are they now? | publisher=Times of India | date=20 September 2009 | accessdate=3 October 2015}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
While serving his sentence, Reni George, allegedly indulged in drug trafficking inside the jail during the early days.<ref name="Where are they now?" /> Later, he became repentant and turned to Christianity, eventually becoming an [[Evangelists (Christianity)|evangelist]].<ref name="A Missionary Family">{{cite web | url=http://www.renys-children.org/renyspersonal.html | title=A Missionary Family | publisher=Reny's Children | date=2015 | accessdate=3 October 2015}}</ref> He fell in love with a nurse, Teena, married her while he was on [[parole]], and the couple has one daughter.<ref name="A Missionary Family" /> After he was released from jail in 1995, he founded ''Reny's Children'', a [[Bengaluru]] based children's home for the children of convicts, who are serving jail terms. He has turned into a preacher<ref name="A Missionary Family" /> and runs a ministry that serves the prisons of the state of [[Karnataka]].<ref name="Where are they now?" /><ref name="Bro. Reny George" /> He has also founded the Bengaluru chapter of ''Prison Fellowship of India'' (PFI), a [[non governmental organization]], engaged in the correction, welfare and rehabilitation of former and present prisoners and their families.<ref name="Prison Fellowship of India" />

Reni George, on release from jail, began involved in social service and his efforts earned him awards including the 1998 Citizen of the Year Award from [[Kiran Bedi]] and the 2008 ''[[Real Heroes Award]]'' of [[CNN-IBN]].<ref name="Call to review death penalty">{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/call-to-review-death-penalty/article730683.ece | title=Call to review death penalty | publisher=The Hindu | date=18 March 2010 | accessdate=3 October 2015}}</ref> The transformation of Reni George gave credence to the arguments of the anti-capital punishment lobby in India and [[K. T. Thomas (Justice)|K. T. Thomas]], renowned justice of the [[Supreme Court of India]], cited the case in his advocacy against capital punishment.<ref name="Call to review death penalty" />

==Cultural references==
{{Main|Madrasile Mon}}
The crime inspired a 1982 movie, ''[[Madrasile Mon]]'', directed by [[J. Sasikumar]], which had some names who would later become known in the Malayalam film industry, such as [[Ravikumar (actor)|Ravikumar]], [[Raveendran (actor)|Raveendran]], [[Mohanlal]] and [[Thampi Kannanthanam]], among other veteran artists.<ref name="Madrasile Mon">{{cite web | url=http://malayalasangeetham.info/m.php?1780 | title=Madrasile Mon | publisher=Malayala Sangeetham | date=2015 | accessdate=3 October 2015}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Madrasile Mon]]
* [[Sister Abhaya murder case]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veJ8cGs5P_o | title=Malayalam Christian Testimony by Bro.Reni George | publisher=Your Living Manna | work=[[YouTube]] video | date=16 May 2011 | accessdate=3 October 2015}}
*{{IMDb title|qid=Q6728574|title=Madrasile Mon}}

[[Category:1980 in India]]
[[Category:1980 murders in India]]
[[Category:Crime in Kerala]]
[[Category:Murder in India]]
[[Category:Scandals in India]]

Karikkan villa murder - Revision history

Curi Hospital at 13:58, 24 May 2025