E-Paper
2 CPI(M) workers get 20 years in jail for hurling bombs at police in 2012
The Taliparamba Additional Sessions Court convicted VK Nishad, currently an LDF candidate in the Mattammal ward in Payyanur municipality, and TCV Nandakumar for charges including attempt to murder and offences under the Explosives Act
Two CPI(M) activists, including a current candidate for municipal polls in Payyanur in Kerala’s Kannur district, were sentenced on Tuesday to 20 years of combined imprisonment in a case of hurling bombs at a police vehicle in 2012.
The Taliparamba Additional Sessions Court convicted VK Nishad, currently an LDF candidate in the Mattammal ward in Payyanur municipality, and TCV Nandakumar for charges including attempt to murder and offences under the Explosives Act.
Both have to serve a combined 20 years and since the sentences run concurrently, they will have to stay in jail for at least 10 years each.
They have also been imposed fines of ₹2.5 lakh each. If they fail to pay the fine, they will have to serve an additional year in jail.
Both Nishad and Nandakumar are members of the DYFI, the youth wing of the CPI(M). Nishad is also member in the outgoing council in Payyanur municipality, governed by the CPM-led LDF.
The attack on the police vehicle using bombs took place on August 1, 2012 following the arrest of then CPI(M) district secretary P Jayarajan in the case of murder of Ariyil Shukkoor, an activist of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
The two accused, then workers of the CPM student wing SFI, hurled country-made steel bombs at a police vehicle in which officers, including then sub-inspector KP Ramakrishnan were present. Luckily, for the officers, the bombs did not explode and there were no injuries.
