KOCHI: Having completed the trial in the Periya twin murder case, the CBI Court in Kochi is set to announce the verdict on December 28. The case pertains to the murder of Youth Congress workers Kripesh, 19, and Sarath Lal P K, 24, allegedly by CPM workers on February 17, 2019, at Periya in Kasaragod district.
The court completed the final hearing in the case last week, with as many as 24 persons facing trial. The accused persons include former MLA and CPM district leader K V Kunhiraman, Kanhangad block panchayat president K Manikandan, former Periya local committee member A Peethambaran, former Periya local secretary N Balakrishnan and former Pakkam local secretary Raghavan Velutholi.
According to the CBI, the twin murders were carried out after politically motivated attacks and counterattacks between the workers of CPM and Congress in the area.
Prior to the murder, first accused Peethambaran and co-accused Surendran, alias Vishnu Sura, were assaulted by Sarath Lal and others on January 5 that year at Kalliot, following a clash between KSU and SFI members.
Peethambaran was personally very angry and campaigned against the celebration of Perumkaliyattam, a temple festival, as Sarath Lal and other Congress workers who assaulted him were the organisers.
After Sarath Lal was released from jail in the assault case, Peethambaran and Gijin Gangadharan, 24, of Kalliot, a schoolmate who had a personal grudge against Sarath Lal, decided on a retaliatory attack.
It was Peethamabran and Gijin who approached CITU headload workers, and one of them, eighth accused Subheesh, agreed to help them. However, other CITU leaders did not make any such promise.
The trio decided to carry out the attack on February 17 as Sarath Lal and Kripesh would be at the temple late into the night due to the reception committee meeting as part of Perumkaliyattam.
The attack was carried out beside the Kalliot-Thannithode road that passes by the areca nut plantation belonging to Gijin’s family. Youth Congress workers were returning home when they were waylaid and attacked by eight men, the CBI said.
After the attack, Sarath Lal muttered the name of Gijin before succumbing to injuries at the hospital.
A lookback
Jan 5, 2019: Clash breaks out between KSU, SFI activists
Feb 17, 2019: Kripesh & Sarath Lal murdered by CPM activists
Feb 19, 2019: Main accused A Peethambaran arrested
Feb 21, 2019: Investigation handed over to crime branch
May 20, 2019: Crime branch submits chargesheet, names 14 accused, all linked to CPM
Sept 30, 2019: Kerala HC quashes crime branch chargesheet, hands over probe to CBI
Oct 26, 2019: State govt moves HC division bench against CBI probe
Aug 25, 2020: Division bench upholds single bench order transferring probe to CBI
Sept 12, 2020: State govt challenges division bench order in SC
Dec 1, 2020: SC dismisses state govt’s petition
Dec 14, 2020: CBI takes over probe
Dec 1, 2021: CBI arrests five persons
February 2, 2023: Trial starts in CBI court in Kochi