On Tuesday, a Court in Kerala’s Kannur district sentenced 9 BJP-RSS workers to life imprisonment in connection with a murder case. The alleged murder case of a CPI (M) worker dates back to 2005. Judge Ruby K Jose of the Thalassery Additional Sessions Court passed the verdict.
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The Court found them guilty on January 4 and passed the verdict on the sentence on January 7.
The CPI(M) branch committee member Rijith Sankaran was 25. He hailed from Choonda near Kannapuram in Kannur. Rijith was ambushed and killed near a temple in Chunda on October 3, 2005.
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How was Rijith Attacked?
On October 3, 2005, Rijith was walking home. During this period a group of RSS workers attacked him and his friends near a well. The attackers were armed with weapons. After the attack, Rijith succumbed to his injuries and lost his life. At the same time, three of his friends were brutally injured in the assault.
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According to reports the police had submitted the chargesheet in March 2006. However, the trial began in October 2018 i.e. after 12 years. The Additional District Sessions Court in Thalassery found the accused guilty.
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Who are these 9 BJP-RSS Workers?
Initially, 10 people were charged with Murder. However, one had died in a road accident before the trial. The nine convicted individuals include Sudhakaran (57), Jayesh (41), Ranjith (44), Ajeendran (51), Anilkumar (52), Rajesh (46), Sreekanth (47), his brother Sreejith (43), and Bhaskaran (67). Ajesh had passed away during the trial.
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Rijith’s mother Janaki, while speaking to the media, said that she had waited 19 years for the verdict. His mother said, “My husband waited 17 years for justice and passed away two years ago. Now, I am witnessing this moment alone”. Rijith’s sister Sreeja also said that ‘justice has been served’.
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According to reports the attack occurred during heightened political tensions in Kerala. The trouble was between the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The attack was allegedly because of an issue over the opening of an RSS branch in a temple in the area.
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