‘Today was a day of starvation’: Abhimanyu’s note thanking friend for sharing meal emerges in court during murder trial
A handwritten note revealing SFI leader Abhimanyu’s struggle with hunger was presented during the trial of his 2018 murder at Maharaja’s College, Kochi.
A handwritten note revealing SFI leader Abhimanyu’s struggle with hunger was presented during the trial of his 2018 murder at Maharaja’s College, Kochi.
A handwritten note revealing SFI leader Abhimanyu’s struggle with hunger was presented during the trial of his 2018 murder at Maharaja’s College, Kochi.
Kochi: "Today was a day of only starvation. Anyway, I ate a stomach-full of food. Thank you very much for giving me a stomach-full of food."
These poignant words, handwritten by slain Maharaja’s College student and SFI leader Abhimanyu and left inside a tiffin box after he ate food shared by a fellow student, emerged during the trial of his 2018 murder case on Thursday. The note offered a glimpse into the financial hardships and hunger Abhimanyu endured while pursuing his education.
The court also heard how the prime accused, Muhammad, had allegedly called a former student leader immediately after the attack and asked him to remove his motorcycle parked near the rear gate of the college.
Ranjith, who was a Kerala Students Union (KSU) office bearer at Maharaja’s College in 2018, deposed before Ernakulam Principal Sessions Judge K K Balakrishnan that he received the call from Muhammad shortly after Abhimanyu sustained fatal injuries.
During his examination, Ranjith told the court that he came to know of Abhimanyu’s death around 1.30 am to 2 am. He said the murder had taken a heavy emotional toll on him, leaving him under severe mental stress for nearly a year.
Recounting Abhimanyu’s financial struggles, the witness said the student had continued his education despite enduring severe hunger. To substantiate this, Ranjith identified in court a photograph saved on his mobile phone showing the handwritten note Abhimanyu had left inside the tiffin container of the student who shared food with him.
The note read: "Today was a day of only starvation. Anyway, I ate a stomach-full of food. Thank you very much for giving me a stomach-full of food."
The witness also recalled the campus atmosphere in 2018, stating that the Students' Federation of India (SFI) maintained cordial relations with other student organisations during his time at the college and that there were no major political clashes on campus.
Describing Abhimanyu as someone who shared a warm rapport with members of different student organisations, Ranjith recalled that he was the first to turn up and participate in a penalty shootout tournament organised by the KSU.
Voice messages Ranjith had sent to his friends following the murder were also played in open court. After listening to the recordings, the court confirmed that the voice was his and vouched for the authenticity of their contents.
Ranjith’s examination concluded on Thursday. The court posted the case for further witness examination on Friday.
Abhimanyu (20), a second-year BSc Chemistry student from Vattavada in Idukki and an SFI leader at Maharaja’s College, was stabbed to death near the college's rear gate in the early hours of July 2, 2018.
According to the prosecution, the murder followed a dispute between SFI and Campus Front of India (CFI) activists over the allocation of college wall space for welcome graffiti ahead of the arrival of first-year students. Abhimanyu had painted anti-communalism slogans on the wall.
Another student, Arjun, also sustained critical stab injuries in the attack.
The police subsequently filed a chargesheet against 16 accused, allegedly linked to the CFI, Popular Front of India (PFI) and SDPI. They face charges including murder, criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly and destruction of evidence.