Kerala Lynching Case Trial Verdict: 14 out of 16 accused found guilty of killing Attapadi Madhu

The verdict came five years after Madhu's murder. The 30-year-old tribal youth was brutally lynched on February 22, 2018, in Palakkad district’s Attappadi, for allegedly stealing rice from a grocery shop. 

The trial court in Mannarkkad, Kerala, on Tuesday, pronounced as guilty 14 of the 16 accused of lynching to death Attapadi Madhu, a tribal youth, in a mob attack in Attapadi. The verdict came five years after Madhu's killing. The quantum of sentencing will be taken up on Wednesday.

The court found the accused guilty under Indian Penal Code Sections 143, 141, 323, 342 and 304 part II, and certain provisions of the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Act.

The 30-year-old tribal youth was brutally lynched on February 22, 2018, in Palakkad district’s Attappadi, for allegedly stealing rice from a grocery shop. A special investigation team filed a 3,000-page charge sheet in May 2018, named 16 persons as accused, and charged them with murder and offences under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

A total of 103 witnesses were examined in the case, 24 of whom turned hostile. This includes Madhu's cousin. On February 22, 2018, Madhu, a tribal youth, was beaten to death by a mob in Attapadi. There are 16 accused in the case. Extraordinary events took place at the trial stage. There was a situation of re-examining the witnesses who had turned hostile. Even those who gave secret statements were among those who turned hostile. There was even an evidentiary dispute over the report. Finally, the Witness Protection Act had to be implemented.

With the implementation of the Witness Protection Act, the prosecution was able to prevent defection to some extent. The prosecution has expressed confidence that the accused will get the maximum punishment possible if found guilty. On the other hand, the defence counsel is making every effort to have the accused acquitted.