Thodupuzha: Thodupuzha Additional Sessions Court on Monday sentenced three men to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh each in connection with the murder of a 21-year-old youth at Mlamala near Vandiperiyar in 2020.

Delivering the verdict, Judge S S Seena found the first accused Aneesh alias Aniyachan (41), second accused Majeesh (46), and third accused Jobin alias Ebin (40) guilty of murdering Jinu, son of Thomas, of Mulangassery house in Mlamala Puthuvall.

In addition to life imprisonment for murder, the court awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined the accused ₹25,000 each for the attempted murder of Jinu's brother, Sibichan.

The incident occurred around 11.45 pm on July 11, 2020. According to the prosecution, the accused had restrained and assaulted Sibichan due to prior enmity. Jinu, who intervened to stop the attack, was fatally stabbed by the first accused. Sibichan was also stabbed and injured while trying to resist the assault.

The court relied on the testimony of the injured Sibichan, eyewitness accounts, and scientific evidence in arriving at the conviction.

Additional Public Prosecutors Adv Able C Kurian and Adv Johny Alex appeared for the prosecution. The case was investigated by former Vandiperiyar SHO T S Sivakumar.