A court in Kerala’s Kannur has handed down life imprisonment to seven RSS-BJP activists for the 2008 murder of CPI-M worker K. Latheesh. The Thalassery Additional District and Sessions Court also fined each convict Rs 1.40 lakh, with cumulative sentences totaling 35 years under four sections of law. The court convicted the first seven accused while acquitting the remaining.
The convicted individuals, including P. Sumith, K.K. Prajeesh Babu, B. Nidhin, K. Sanal, Rijosh, Sajeesh, and V. Jayesh, were found guilty in the brutal murder case. The victim, Latheesh, a CPI-M activist and union leader, was hacked to death in 2008. The assailants attacked him with swords and axes after creating panic with bombs, resulting in his tragic demise.
According to the prosecution, the assailants, armed and in a group, surrounded Latheesh at Chakyathumukku beach in Thalassery. The attack left Latheesh dead and his friend Mohanlal alias Lalu seriously injured. The accused continued to assault Latheesh even after he collapsed, eventually fleeing the scene after the brutal attack.
The verdict, based on the complaint of Latheesh’s brother K. Santosh, is a significant step against politically motivated violence in north Kerala. The court’s decision is seen as a strong stance against such acts of violence and a move towards justice for the victim and his family.
