Kochi: A trial court on Wednesday found 14 of the 16 guilty of lynching to death a tribal youth Madhu, 30, in a mob attack in Attapadi on February 22, 2018.
The court in Mannarkkad in Palakkad, which will deliver the verdict on Wednesday, found the accused guilty under various sections of IPC and certain provisions of the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Act.
Hailing from Chindakki hamlet near Mukkali in Attappady, Madhu was pulled out from a cave in the forest by the accused and thrashed him brutally accusing him of theft.
Later, Madhu was handed over to the police who took him to hospital where he was declared dead.
The charge sheet was filed in May 2018.
Twenty-four witnesses out of a total of 103 witnesses turned hostile.
Even as 16 accused secured conditional bail from the Kerala High Court on May 30, 2018, the trial court cancelled the bail of the 12 accused. The Kerala High Court upheld the decision to cancel the bail of 11 of the accused while setting aside the order on one of the accused.
Madhu’s mother Malli and sister Sarasu have been provided police protection on the basis of a request made to the Palakkad police chief.
