PALAKKAD: All the 16 accused in the lynching of Adivasi youth Madhu were produced at a special court in Mannarkkad on Sunday. The court remanded them to 14 days in custody.The accused were brought from Agali police station and produced at the special court amid tight security. They were Shamsudheen, 32; Jaijumon, 45; Kuttikckal Siddique, 35; Thodiyil Ubaid, 25; Palliseril Radhakrishnan, 34; Chollayil Abdul Kareem, 50; Kunnathveetil Aneesh, 50; Killayil Marakkar Unniyal, 35; Varuthiyil Najeeb, 34; Puthenpuackal Najeeb, 32; Aanamooli Pothuvacholayil Aboobacker, 32; Hussein Mecheril, 50; Murikadayil Satheesh, 39; Charivil Hareesh, 34; Charivil Biju, 41 and Viruthiyil Muneer, 28.
The accused have been charged with murder under various sections of the IPC, SC/ST Act and Information Technology Act for posting pictures on social media. All the accused have equal complicity in the murder charge.Meanwhile, Tribal Welfare Minister A K Balan, who visited Madhu’s family in Kadukamanna, said the government will appoint a special public prosecutor to argue the case.
The minister said that apart from the Rs 10 lakh announced by the government, an additional Rs 8.5 lakh will be given to the family by the SC/ST development department. An amount of Rs 4.25 lakh was handed over to Madhu’s mother Malli at the time of Balan’s visit. The minister said that Madhu’s sister will be included in the ST category for recruitment in the police department and will be provided with a job.