TIRUNELVELI: Valliyoor sub-court on Friday awarded seven years of imprisonment to 18 people, including four women, in a case related to a protest against the Kudankulam project. Coordinators of the protest SP Udayakumar, Pushparayan and M P Jesuraj were acquitted.
The case pertained to the accused, most of whom were fishermen, who allegedly attacked two other fishermen who refused to take part in the protest. Soon after the judgment was pronounced by Sub Judge A Barsad Began, a few convicted persons who came with their children fell on the ground and cried. Apart from the seven-year imprisonment, the judge also imposed a penalty of Rs 500 on the convicts.
“Thousands conducted protests for over several years in Idinthakarai against KKNPP. More than 300 police cases were registered against the protesters. While most of them were withdrawn, 63 are pending before the court. In 2013, the protesting fishermen decided to give away a share of their catch to manage the expenses of the protest, but S Elango and R Brighten allegedly refused to budge. After being attacked by the convicts, the duo filed separate complaints with the police who registered a case against 22 persons,” said sources.