Tribal lynching case: 7-year jail for 13 convicts

Thirteen persons found guilty of lynching a tribal youth at Attapadi village in Palakkad district have been sentenced to seven years rigorous imprisonment.

Another person found guilty in the case was given a three-month jail sentence.

A special court in Palakkad on Tuesday found 14 of the 16 accused guilty in the lynching of Madhu in 2018 for allegedly stealing food items.

The 13 convicts were also slapped with a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh each. The amount would be shared among the family members of the deceased.

Madhu’s mother said she will file an appeal seeking murder charges against the convicts.

Advocate Rajesh M Menon was the special prosecutor in the case that witnessed 24 of the 100-odd witnesses turning hostile. The court also acted against the accused during the trial for trying to influence and threaten witnesses.