Kannur: Five CPM men guilty of BJP man's murder

KANNUR: The Thalassery additional district sessions court on Friday found guilty five CPM workers accused in the murder of a BJP worker who was working as the assistant of a truck driver, on March 5, 2008. The court will pronounce the punishment on Monday. The guilty hacked to death Parakkandi Nikhil, 22, the BJP worker, after pulling him out from the truck when he was on his way home at Kooli Bazar near Thalassery. Though there were eight accused in the charge sheet, the court exonerated two, Ummalil U. Firoz and Naduvilothiyil Valsan, as the prosecution failed to produce sufficient evidence.

Those the court found guilty were Thekkekannoli Veettil K. Sreejith, 39, Chalil Veettil V. Binooym 31, Raseena Manzilil K.P. Manaf, 42   Jairajabhavan P.P. Sunilkumar, 51 and Kalathil Veettil C.K. Marshood, 34.  Moolan M. Sasidharan, the eighth accused in the case died during the trial period. The investigation was led by U. Preman, then circle inspector of Thalassery who submitted the chargesheet. Among 44 witnesses, 16 switched sides during the trial.