Twenty-five workers of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) were sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday in the murder of two Sunni brothers at Kallankuzhi, Kanhurapuzha, in Palakkad district.
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Additional District and Sessions Court IV judge T.H. Rajita also slapped a fine of ₹1 lakh on each of the 25 accused. Although she sentenced the accused to two life-terms in two murders, the term will run concurrently .
It was on the night of November 20, 2013 that brothers Kunhi Hamza, 48, and Nooruddin, 42, were hacked to death. Their elder brother Kunhumohammed, 66, was also injured in the attack, but he survived. Ninety witnesses, including Mr. Kunhumohammed, had appeared before the court.
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The convicts
Those sentenced were C.M. Siddik, 52; Shameem C., 27; Noushad Pandi, 34; Siddik C., 55; Nijas P., 28; Salahuddin P., 26; Shameer M., 28; Sulaiman P., 60; Ameer M., 34; Abdul Jaleel P, 44; Rashee P. alias Baputty, 38; Ismail P. alias Ippayi, 43; Sulaiman K., 52; Shihab P., 47; Mustafa P., 32; Nasar C., 62; Hamza T.P., 64; Fasil C., 27; Saleem P., 46; Saidali P., 52, Tajuddin P., 44; Saheer P., 32; Fasil T.P., 28; Amjad T.P., 35; Mohammed Basheer K.T., 32; and Mohammed Muhsin P., 28.
There were 27 accused in the case. One of them died during the trial. Another one is a minor and is being tried in the Juvenile Justice Court.
The incident
The attack took place in connection with a dispute over fund-raising at Kallankuzhi Sunni Juma Masjid. Hamza had procured an order from the Waqf Board against conducting meetings in the mosque. It provoked one section and led to the attack.
The alleged failure of the police in arresting the accused apparently owing to United Democratic Front (UDF) pressure when it was in power had led to a controversy.