In 2018, the murder of Madhu, a mentally challenged tribal youth, in Attappadi, Kerala shocked the nation. Thirteen people were sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in the case, while one was sentenced to three months. Madhu lived in the hilly villages of Mukkali and Sindaki in the Palakkad district and was often seen wandering around the area where mentally ill people suffered. He had the habit of taking food items without permission, which led some villagers to believe that alcohol was the reason for the serial thefts. They planned to take revenge on him and severely assaulted him in the Ajmudi forest area on February 22, 2018. Madhu succumbed to his injuries before he could reach the hospital.
The case became infamous and was registered as a murder case under the SC/ST Atrocities Act, with 16 people arrested. Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan met Madhu’s family and expressed his condolences. A chargesheet of 3,000 pages was filed against the accused, but the trial did not begin for four years.
In April 2022, the hearing of the case started after overcoming many hurdles like the absence of a permanent judge and no public prosecutor. The court declared 14 accused guilty and two innocent. Muneer was sentenced to three months and 13 others to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. The court has ordered that 75% of the fine be paid as compensation to Madhu’s family and legal heirs. The court declared Madhu’s murder case as the ‘First mob lynching case in God’s Own Country.’ The media was commended for highlighting the case, and legal action was ordered against ten false witnesses.
In the year 2018, the murder of a tribal youth affected by alcoholism in Attappadi, Kerala, shocked the country. 13 people have been sentenced to 7 years imprisonment in the murder case. Another person has been sentenced to 3 months imprisonment.
Mukkali and Sindaki are hilly villages in Mannargat in Palakkad district of Kerala state. In late 2017 and early 2018, a series of thefts have taken place in these villages.
A 30-year-old youth named Madhu was living in the same village. Madhu belongs to a tribal community called Mutuga and is mentally challenged. Madhu, who lost her father, lived with her mother Malli and sister Saraswati. It has been customary to hang around in places like Akali and Mukkali under Madhu Attappadi area where mentally ill people were suffering. Then sometimes shops have a habit of taking food items without the owner’s permission.
Due to this, some people from that village decided that alcohol was the reason for the serial theft and planned to take revenge on him. Subsequently, on 22.02.2018, 16 people belonging to the same village severely assaulted Madhu in Ajmudi forest area near Vandikkadau Tea Estate.
After that, they called the police and handed him over to the police for stealing food and alcohol. Madhu has severe injuries on his body. Madhu lost consciousness before being taken to the police station. He was found already dead when he was taken to the hospital
The death of Madhu, a mentally challenged tribal youth, had sent shockwaves across the country. Madhu’s autopsy report proved that he had been severely beaten and killed in 15 places. Following this, a case of murder was registered and 16 people were arrested. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan personally met Madhu’s family and expressed his condolences.
A 3,000-page chargesheet was filed against the 16 accused in the case in March 2018 under sections of the murder case and SC/ST Atrocities Act. Even after the charge sheet was filed, the trial in the case did not begin for more than four years. On 31.05.2018, the arrested persons were granted bail in this case.
The investigation started four years late
Mannargadu special SC/S/D court was hearing the alcohol murder case. There was an allegation that there was no investigation in the case even after the chargesheet was filed. The hearing of the case started on 28.04.2022 after a long hiatus after overcoming many hurdles like no permanent judge and no public prosecutor.
Canceled bond
In August last year, the bail of the bailiffs in the case was revoked after they tried to intimidate the witnesses. After that, the police searched and arrested some of the absconders. The follow-up hearing was concluded on 10.01.2023.
Shocking information revealed in the investigation
14 people were convicted
The murdered man belonged to the Madhu tribal community. All the 16 people arrested in this case belong to non-tribal community. A lot of shocking information has come out in the investigation of this case. 10 of the accused tied up Madhu’s clothes and beat him severely on the face and back with wooden sticks.
Ubaid, the 8th convict, took a video of Madhu attacking him and posted it on social media. These videos have been key witnesses in the prosecution. After severely beating Madhu, his hands were tied and a bag containing rice and other items was placed on Madhu’s back.
Madhu, who was beaten three kilometers from there, was brought with his hands tied in a half-naked golam. Then they recorded the footage of Madhu being attacked and published it on social media with the intention of humiliating him.
Hussain stomped on Madhu’s chest before handing him over to the police. As a result, Madhu’s head hit the nearby wall. Hussain, who was the first accused in the case, died of intoxication before the police took him away. All these incidents took place on 22.02.2018.
Contradictory evidence
Many others, including the forest department staff, who testified in the first phase of the case later turned false. Out of a total of 122 witnesses, 10 turned perjured and retracted their statements. Sacco had said that he initially testified because of police pressure.
What does the verdict say?
Of the 16 accused in the case, Mannargadu Special Court declared 14 guilty and two innocent. The full verdict and sentencing details were released today.
The court acquitted Anish and Abdul Karim who were accused in this case. Muneer was sentenced to only three months in jail on the grounds that he had only taken a video of Madhu assaulting him.
Hussain, Marakar, Shamsuddin, Radhakrishnan, Abubakar, Siddiqui, Ubaid, Najeeb, Jaijumon, Sajeev, Satish, Harish, Biju and 13 others have been sentenced to seven years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. The court ordered that 75% of the fine should be paid as compensation to Madhu’s family and his legal heirs.
Kerala’s first gang massacre
And the court has declared Madhu’s murder case as ‘First mob lynching case in God’s Own Country’ in its verdict.
The police have also been ordered to take action under Section 193 of the IPC against ten persons who have turned false witnesses in the case. The court termed it disgusting that several witnesses, including Madhu’s close relative, had changed their conversations despite the presence of CCTV footage and ordered legal action against them saying that the primary evidence cannot be allowed to be changed in this way.
Kudos to the media
Further in the judgement, “The court also commended the media for regularly reporting on this case. If the media had not given so much importance to this case, the outcome would not have been like this. It was the light given by the media that caused the authorities to take swift action. This court acknowledges the role of the media in bringing justice to Madhu.
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