By Express News Service

KANNUR: Thalasserry Additional District Sessions Court has sentenced five CPM activists to life imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs. 50,000/- in connection with the murder of BJP worker Nikhil Malayattu (23) at Eranjoli Kooli Bazar on March 5, 2008.

K Sreejith (39) of Vadakkumbadu, V Benoy (31) of Nittur, KP Manaf (42) of Nittur, PP Sunilkumar (51) of Vadakkumbadu and CK Marshood (34) of Nittur were the persons sentenced to life by the court on Monday. Of the eight accused persons in the case, two, U Firoz and Valsan Vayanal, were acquitted by the court in the absence of solid evidence. Eighth accused M Sasidharan died during the trial period.

Nikhil, who was a lorry driver, was killed by alleged CPM workers on March 5, 2008, as his lorry was being blocked by the CPM workers at Kooli Bazar. The CPM workers who reached the spot in bikes dragged him out of the lorry. As he tried to escape from the attack, he was chased down by the CPM workers and was hacked to death.

His murder came at the time of a series of clashes between the BJP and CPM workers at Thalasserry, which had started with the murder attempt on RSS leader MP Sumesh at Narangappuram near Thalasserry bus stand by the CPM workers.