9 BJP, RSS workers get life term for murdering Kerala CPI(M) man in 2004

KP Raveendran was injured in a clash between two groups inside the Central Prison, Kannur and later succumbed.

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A court on Friday sentenced nine accused BJP and RSS workers to life imprisonment for the murder of a CPI (M) worker in Central Prison, Kannur in 2004.

The Thalassery Additional District Court also imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on each of the accused.

The court found all the nine accused guilty in the case in the morning, while the quantum of punishment was announced in the afternoon.

CPI (M) worker KP Raveendran had succumbed to his injuries after being attacked inside the prison in April 2004. The judgement in the murder case has been pronounced after 15 years.

Raveendran, an inmate of the prison, was beaten with an iron rod on his head, and later succumbed to his injuries at the Pariyaram medical college.

The accused in the case are Pavithran, Falgunan, KP Raghu, Sanal Prasad, PK Dinesan, Kottakka Sasi, Anil Kumar, Tharassiyil Suni and PV Asokan.

There had been a total of 31 accused in the case — who are either RSS or BJP activists. These included those who were undergoing trial in various cases at that time in prison, as well as those who were convicted for life. They were undergoing punishment in various political violence cases.

The attack happened near the seventh block of the prison, and it was later found out that the weapons used to attack him were kept in the store room of another block.

According to reports, there had been 71 witnesses in the case including jail officials and other prisoners- prison officer Praveen, being the prime witness.

Raveendran, 40, was serving life sentence in the prison. He was convicted in a murder case registered at Nadapuram in Kozhikode.

Two others, who were also undergoing life imprisonment in two separate murder cases, were injured in the clash that broke out between two groups.