6 months ago
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An Additional District and Sessions Court successful Thalassery connected Thursday (January 8, 2026) sentenced 7 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers to beingness imprisonment with rigorous imprisonment for the execution of Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] section caput and Centre of India Trade Unions (CITU) person K. Latheesh connected December 31, 2008.
The tribunal recovered accused numbers 1 to 7 blameworthy and sentenced them to 35 years of imprisonment connected 4 counts. The sentences volition tally concurrently. Each of them were besides imposed a good of ₹1.40 lakh. The verdict was delivered by Additional District and Session Court (IV) Judge J. Vimal. The verdict was pronounced successful the greeting portion the condemnation was delivered astatine 1 p.m.
The tribunal awarded beingness sentences to P. Sumith (Kuttan), A.K. Prajeesh Babu (Praji), B. Nithin (Nithu), K. Sanal, Srijesh (Kuttan), Sajeesh (Jeeshu) and V. Jayesh, aft uncovering them blameworthy of the politically motivated killing.
Hacked to death
Latheesh was hacked to decease connected the Chakyathmukku beach, adjacent Thalassery, aft the assailant pack allegedly hurled bombs to make panic.
According to the prosecution, the accused reached the spot equipped with deadly weapons, surrounded Lathesh and attacked him. Sumith allegedly struck the archetypal stroke with a sword, portion Prajeesh utilized an axe to slash the cervix of the victim. As Lathesh fell to the ground, helium was further hacked and stabbed connected the legs and assemblage by different accused. The attackers hurled bombs to make panic and fled arsenic section residents and fishermen rushed to the spot.
Four others injured
Latheesh’ person and CPI(M) idiosyncratic Mohanlal, alias Lalu, sustained superior injuries successful the attack, portion Santhosh, Suresh and Majeed were injured successful the weaponry detonation during the incident.
The lawsuit was registered based connected a ailment filed by Latheesh’s younger member K Santhosh. Of the 64 witnesses, 30 were examined by the prosecution.
The 8th accused died during the trial. Accused numbers 9 to 12 were acquitted owed to deficiency of evidence. The tribunal accepted the prosecution’s statement that the execution was carried retired owed to governmental rivalry, alleging that the accused targeted Latheesh for organising CPI(M) activities successful an RSS-BJP stronghold.
Latheesh was a caput of the CPI(M) Thiruvangad section committee and a person of the CITU fishermen’s national successful the area. The prosecution described the sidesplitting arsenic a brutal and premeditated governmental murder.
Special Public Prosecution P.K. Varghese and advocator K. Sathyan appeared for the prosecution.
