Ayyankali cadre let off in hostage case
Many other witnesses presented by the prosecution also could not identify the guilty
KOCHI: The Palakkad additional district court acquitted two persons on Thursday in one of the cases connected with taking the then Palakkad Collector W.R. Reddy as hostage in 1996 by Ayyankalippada, a pro-Maoist outfit.
Kallara Babu, second accused, and Gopi, fifth accused, were let off by additional sub-judge Sajikumar as the prosecution failed to prove their role beyond doubt.
The prosecution also failed in proving the identity of the accused, the judge said.
The failure of Mr W.R. Reddy in identifying them in the court was a major setback for the prosecution.
Many other witnesses presented by the prosecution also could not identify the guilty.
According to the prosecution, the culprits along with many others stormed the chamber of the collector on October 4, 1996 and kept him as a hostage for nearly a full day demanding that the tribal people should be given land due to them.