A court in Kerala’s Kannur district on Thursday sentenced eleven accused, all activists of the CPI(M), to life imprisonment in the case pertaining to the gruesome murder of BJP worker A Mahesh (32) of Chittaripparamba near Koothuparamba in the district a decade ago.
The Additional District and Sessions Court in Thalassery, Kannur also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 each on the convicts. A sum of Rs 300,000 of the fine amount would go to the family of Mahesh. The court also awarded ten-year imprisonment to each of the accused after finding them guilty under the Explosive Substances Act.
The Marxists who were awarded the punishment are Dhanesh Paingoli, Oniyan Babu, Nellikka Uthaman, Umesh Manoli, Ranjith Vazhavalappil, Mukesh Nellikka, Purushothaman Karat, Suneesh Chirukandoth, Sooraj Manappadi and Shiju Vayaleri. Public Prosecutor KB Bineesh appeared for the Prosecution in the court.
Mahesh, an autorikshaw driver, was hacked to death by a group of CPI(M) killers on March 6, 2008. He was standing at the bus stop at Chittaripparamba town at about 6.00 PM when Marxist killers hacked him brutally after creating a terror atmosphere by exploding bombs. His head was nearly severed in the attack. Mahesh died on the spot.