Palakkad:: The Mannarcode SC-ST Court on Saturday cancelled bail of seven accused in the murder of Attapadi tribal youth, Madhu. The revocation came over culprits' attempts to influence witnesses in the case and tamper potential testimonies.
The court acknowledged prosecution claim of how the accused, directly or via mediators, were pressuring witnesses. Of the seven, Marakar, Shamsuddin, Sajeeb and Sajeev were more active in trying to manipulate witnesses. The court examined phone records the prosecution submitted in this regard, to come up with the ruling.
Backdrop : In February of 2018, the so-called well off persons in Attapadi accosted 30-year-old tribal man, A. Madhu. What followed next shocked the nation. The gang alleged beat up the poor man with sticks upon finding simple grocery items - rice and curry powders - in his plastic bag. From the hills, with hands tied, they walked him to the road and called the police. By then, Madhu was thoroughly exhausted from the assault. He vomited in the police jeep and died soon after.
Madhu was a poor tribal youth who lived by himself in the bushes and occasionally tread into the settlement in lookout for some basics to beat starvation. His murder for being found with cheap grocery, caught headlines for long. When the case went on trial, all witnesses tunred hostile and the biggest challenge before the prosecution now is to prove guilt of the lynchers..
