10 CPM leaders, including panchayat member, sentenced to 25 years for bomb attack on BJP workers in 2011

Kannur: In a stern indictment of political violence, a sessions court sentenced 10 CPM workers and leaders, including a panchayat member, to up to 25 years in prison under seven counts for repeatedly hurling bombs at BJP workers in front of police. The judgment underscored that such acts “do not deserve any mercy in a civilised society”.

The bomb attacks happened at Thimri in the hill panchayat of Alakode in Kannur on November 27, 2011. Taliparamba Additional Sessions judge Prasanth K N sentenced the second accused, T V Binu (49), to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment. While the remaining nine accused would have to serve only 10 years each, as all sentences would run concurrently. Each of the accused was also fined ₹2.6 lakh, with additional imprisonment prescribed in case of default.

The other convicts are P V Baburaj (59), Alakode panchayat member from Thimri ward; M K Pradeep Kumar (59), chairman of the Taliparamba Taluk Circle Cooperative Union; P P Sathyan (50), E V Vinodkumar (52), Vijayan (56), K P Suresh (56), Toby (44), Janardhanan (63), and Shivaprakash (57). All the convicts are from Thimri.

The convictions span offences under the Indian Penal Code, including unlawful assembly, rioting with deadly weapons, causing hurt, and attempt to murder, along with provisions of the Explosive Substances Act for using and possessing explosives.

The court found that the accused, armed with deadly weapons, had repeatedly hurled bombs at a group of people on a public road, even in the presence of police, turning what it described as a space of everyday life into one of fear.

According to the prosecution, CPM and BJP workers clashed on November 26, 2011, and several BJP workers were injured and admitted to a hospital in Cherupuzha. On November 27, when BJP workers were bringing the injured home from the hospital, they were attacked by 10 men. “The second accused, Binu, hurled bombs at the group three times,” said Additional Public Prosecutor Adv U Rameshan.

In unusually evocative language, judge Prasanth opened the order with a line from poet Vayalar: “I will not love, nor will I embrace any philosophy that does not love a suffering soul.” The court observed that Kannur’s cultural legacy is built on “love, folklore and innocence,” and said that "the esteem of the entire region is amputated" because of such acts of political violence.

Rejecting any scope for leniency, the court said the attack struck at “the roots of humanity and harmony between people,” and made it clear that punishment must reflect the gravity of such organised violence.
Under the Indian Penal Code, the court awarded six months’ rigorous imprisonment each for unlawful assembly and rioting (Sections 143 and 147), one year for rioting with deadly weapons (Section 148), and three years for causing hurt with weapons (Section 324), along with a fine of ₹10,000.

For attempt to murder (Section 307), the accused were sentenced to five years in prison and fined ₹1 lakh each. Under the Explosive Substances Act, they received 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and a ₹1 lakh fine for causing an explosion endangering life, and five years with a ₹50,000 fine for possessing and using explosives.

"All sentences against the second accused shall run consecutively. Thus, the accused shall suffer rigorous imprisonment for 25 years and a fine of ₹2.6 lakh," the judge ruled. While the sentences against the other accused shall run concurrently. "Thus, even if the punishment totals 25 years, the accused shall only suffer rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and a fine of ₹2.6 lakh each," said the order.

Failure to pay the fines will attract additional jail terms. If the fine amount is realised from the accused, the court ruled that ₹2 lakh should be given to M K Murali, who suffered serious injuries. The other injured, Ramachandran E V, A T Santhosh, Chandran T, Joji Philip, Narayanan M C and Shijan P, should be given ₹1 lakh each, it ruled.