Fourteen found guilty in tribal youth's lynching case in Kerala

Fourteen accused are found guilty in the lynching of a tribal youth on charges of stealing rice from a shop at Attapadi tribal village in Palakkad district of Kerala. The sentence will be pronounced on Wednesday.

Madhu, 28, was held by a gang accusing him of stealing on February 22, 2018. He was paraded through the street and beaten to death.

During the trial, 24 over the 100 witnesses examined by the court, including relatives of the deceased, turned hostile. The court initiated action against the accused for influencing the witnesses.

Also Read | No arrests yet over 'lynching'; victim 'suffered no external injuries'

There were 16 accused in the case of which 14 were found guilty by a special court in Palakkad, while two were acquitted. The charges against the accused include IPC 304(2) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, 326 for voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means, 367 for abduction and various sections of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. All the accused were local natives.

Madhu's mother Malli and sister Sarasu said that though they were happy that the accused were found guilty despite strong attempts to sabotage the case, they would file appeal seeking punishment for murder to the accused.

The family had also sought police protection as they were facing threats from those convicted. Madhu's mother and sister had alleged that some persons engaged by the convicts were contacting them and threatening to withdraw the case.

Earlier, even actor Mammooty offered legal assistance to Madhu's family after the prosecutor appointed by the court failed to appear citing that he did not get the case file. Later Rajesh M Menon was appointed as special prosecutor by the government.

During the trial, the court even ordered a vision test of a key witness who turned hostile citing that he had poor vision.