Madurai
The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has dismissed the criminal appeals of two accused in the Kachanatham Scheduled Caste community murders in Sivaganga district. The court had already dismissed the criminal appeals of 11 other accused.
Taking cognisance of the fact that the trial in the case was at a crucial stage, Justice V. Parthiban observed that the two accused, Meenakshi and Muthiah, could not be placed at a different footing and dismissed the appeals.
The duo had filed the appeals challenging the order of a Special Court in Sivaganga that had denied bail to them. The Special Court had also denied bail to the 11 other accused.
Three members of a Scheduled Caste community were hacked to death and five others grievously injured by caste Hindus in Kachanatham last year. It was said that the motive behind the murders was denial of honour for the dominant community people at a temple festival.
While dismissing the appeals of the 11 accused, the court had observed that the brutality with which the crime was committed by a mob from the dominant community had a telling effect on the peace and tranquillity of society at large.
