Ex-CPM leader handed noose in murder case

Alappuzha: Alappuzha Additional District Court III on Saturday awarded death sentence to R. Baiju, 45, a former CPM local secretary, for the murder of Congress ward president K. S. Divakaran. 

The other five convicts - V Sujith, 38; S Sathishkumar, 38; Praveen, 32; Benny, 45; and N. Sethukumar, 45 - got the life term.

Baiju was also a former councillor of Cherthala municipality who headed the works standing committee. 

Though he was the sixth defendant, the judge K. Anil Kumar handed him death sentence as he planned the attack to seek political revenge. 

Alappuzha: As per the prosecution, Divakaran 56, a native of Cherthala, died after a group of CPM men attacked his house on November 29, 2009. 

A dispute over forcibly selling coir mats in households led to the attack. The six men reached his home and demanded him to buy a mat. He refused, saying the price was too high and it led to an altercation.

They left after keeping the piece there, threatening that he would have to either buy it or burn it. His son Dileep raised the issue in the gram sabha later in the evening, triggering a war of words with the CPM members.

Later, the gang reached his house and attacked Divakaran, his son Dileep and his wife Reshmi with a log inflicting a deep wound on his head. He died in hospital ten days later.