KOCHI: High Court on Tuesday upheld the life sentence awarded by the district sessions court, Thrissur, to four accused in the murder of a Youth Congress leader out of the group rivalry in the party in 2013.
Echarathu Madhu was hacked to death in April 2013 as an outcome of rivalry among Congress workers. While issuing the order, the division bench headed by Justice A Hariprasad said that instances of bigotry resulting in the assassination of political opponents are legion in the state. But this case unfolded a different saga. Internal dissensions and factional feud among members of the youth wing of an old political party, that too founded on the ideology of non-violence, are the root cause for the murder in daylight.
The court upheld the life imprisonment awarded to accused Shinoj, Praveen, Prajith and Suresh. The court found that these accused inflicted injuries on the victim and killed him.
However, the court acquitted first accused Premji, who was also a Youth Congress leader, second accused Martin and seventh accused Sanoop. The court observed that there were absolutely no materials to prove the involvement of these accused.