Munambam Waqf land row snowballs into political issue amid by-elections in Kerala
Union Minister Suresh Gopi recently met the 610 families of Munambam village who are protesting against the Waqf board's claim over their land.
A special court for Scheduled Castes and Tribes (POA) at Mannarkad, in Kerala’s Palakkad district, on Tuesday found 14 of the 16 accused guilty of lynching a 27-year-old tribal man, Madhu.
The court found Hussein, 59, Marakkar, 41, Shamsudheen, 41, Radhakrishnan, Aboobacker, 39, Siddique, 46, Ubaid, 33, Najeeb, 41, Jaijumon, 52, Sajeev, 38, Satheesh, 43, Hareesh, 42, Biju, 45 and Muneer, 36, guilty in the case.
The quantum of punishment will be pronounced by the court on Wednesday.
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The court charged the guilty under section 304 (2) culpable homicide and under the Prevention of Atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Tribes Act. It acquitted Aneesh, who recorded the footage of Madhu being harassed by a mob and shared it on social media and Abdul Karim, who insulted Madhu by calling him a thief.
Madhu, a tribal youth, was lynched by a mob at Attappadi in Kerala’s Palakkad district on February 22, 2018. Madhu, who was staying in a rock cave in Ajumudi hills near Chindaki in Attappadi, was pulled out of his home and made to walk four kilometres to Mukkali and was later beaten and kicked by a mob accusing him of stealing provisions from shops.
The trial in the case was completed under the observation of the Kerala High Court.
Of the 103 persons examined as witnesses, 24 turned hostile. Many of the relatives of Madhu themselves had turned hostile. However, circumstantial and digital evidence like the photos and videos which were circulated on social media by the accused themselves were effectively presented by the Prosecution.
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