ALAPPUZHA: The Alappuzha Additional District Court-II on Monday sentenced three persons to life imprisonment for the murder of Jayesh, 26, of Thottuvathala, Kainakari. Sajan (31), of Aryad, Nandu (36), of Aryad, and Janeesh (38), of Kainakari, were sentenced by Judge A Ijaz. They were fined `1 lakh each as well.
The court also sentenced two other accused — Santhosh and Kunjumon, both belonging to Kainakari — to two years in prison, besides paying a fine of Rs 50,000 each. The prime accused in the case, Abhilash of Punnamada, was murdered earlier this year.
According to the prosecution, Jayesh was attacked by a gang on March 28, 2014. After they attacked his house, he sustained serious injuries and died the next day. Both the accused and the victim were members of criminal gangs. Jayesh was attacked as a retribution for having stabbed prime accused Abhilash earlier. The court had earlier acquitted four persons in the case.
The court premises also witnessed unruly scenes on Monday as the members of both gangs gathered there and indulged in a war of words. They also threatened prosecutors who were present in the court for the victim. Later, the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the gang-members. Additional Public Prosecutor P K Ramesan, and advocates Joykutty Jose, B Sivadas, P P Byju and V Deepak represented the acquitted persons.