Acquittal of 3 RSS workers in Riyas Moulavi murder case by Kerala Court
Kasaragod: In a significant development, the District Principal Sessions Court in Kasaragod has acquitted three RSS men accused of the murder of Mohammad Riaz Maulavi, a 27-year-old madrasa teacher from Kotak.
The incident, which occurred on March 20, 2017, saw Maulavi being hacked to death by a group that entered the old Churi mosque where he resided. The accused, identified as Ajesh, Nitin, and Akhilesh, alleged RSS activists, were arrested near the Kelugudde Ayyappanagar Bhajan Mandir.
The court proceedings in this case have been marked by several delays and changes in the scheduled verdict dates. Originally set for February 29, the verdict was rescheduled to March 7, March 20, and finally delivered today. The trial began in 2019 at the District Principal Sessions Court, but it faced multiple postponements due to judge transfers and the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven judges have presided over the case thus far.
The investigation into the murder was conducted by a special team led by Crime Branch SP Dr. A. Srinivas. The team submitted a comprehensive charge sheet to the court, including over 50 documents and the results of DNA tests. During the trial, the court examined 97 witnesses and reviewed 215 documents and 45 pieces of evidence.
Responding to the judgment, the Action Committee said that the Kasaragod district has witnessed a lack of convictions in cases related to communal violence. Out of the 11 cases where Muslims lost their lives and three cases involving non-Muslim fatalities, none of the accused have been punished. The committee highlighted that this lack of conviction is contributing to the recurrence of conflicts in the region.
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BJP workers allegedly attack children during Christmas carol roadshow in Kerala’s Palakkad: Reports
Palakkad: A group of children celebrating Christmas through a carol roadshow was allegedly attacked by BJP workers in Kerala’s Palakkad district on Sunday night.
According to local reports, the incident occurred in Pudussery area of Palakkad, where over 25 children, mostly aged around 13, were moving from house to house singing Christmas carols. Reports state that a BJP worker identified as Ashwin Raj, along with others, allegedly assaulted the children and vandalised their musical equipment.
According to the police and eyewitness accounts, the children were using a band set that belonged to a local CPI(M) office, which had the party’s name written on it.
Allegedly objecting to this, the accused and his associates reportedly lured the children on the pretext of offering them money and then assaulted them. The band set used by the children was also smashed.
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The Town Police have arrested Ashwin Raj, a local BJP worker who has been named as the prime accused in the case. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest the remaining accused who fled the scene.
Speaking to the media, one of the injured children said, “We were using the band just for fun. When they saw that it had CPM written on it, they took us aside and beat us.”
"We had given the band set that was in our office out of love when the children asked for it. The fact that these young children, who do not know the intricacies of politics, were attacked shows the criminal mentality of the BJP workers," local CPIM leaders expressed outrage.
A police officer told PTI that the arrested accused is already booked under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA).
The sections invoked include Section 192 (provocation with intent to cause a riot), Section 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), and Section 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), police added.
