The Thalassery Additional Sessions Court in Kannur, Kerala, sentenced nine workers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to rigorous life imprisonment on Tuesday for the politically motivated murder of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activist RijithShankaranin 2005. The court, led by Judge Ruby K. Jose, also imposed a fine of ₹1.10 lakh on the convicted individuals.
As per a report in Manorama, RijithShankaran, a 25-year-old activist from Kannapuram, was brutally attacked with swords and knives on October 10, 2005. The assault occurred around 9 p.m. as Rijith was walking home with his friends – Nikesh, Vimal and Vikas – near the ChundaThachankandiyal temple. A 10-member gang ambushed him, reportedly due to a dispute over opening an RSS branch at a nearby temple.While Rijith’s friends sustained the injuries, Rijith succumbed to his wounds before reaching the hospital.
Weapons such as machetes, knives, sticks, and steel pipes were used in the attack. The police later recovered blood-stained weapons and clothing linked to the suspects. The case was registered based on a complaint filed by K.V. Nikesh, who was with Rijith at the time of the attack.
Of the 10 accused in the case, the third accused, Ajesh, died during the trial in a car accident. The convicted individuals are V.V. Sudhakaran (56), K.T. Jayesh (39), C.P. Ranjith (42), P.P. Ajeendran (50), I.V. Anilkumar (51), P.P. Rajesh (46), P.V. Srikanth (46), his brother V.V. Sreejith (42), and Thekkaveettil P.V. Bhaskaran (66).
Reacting to the verdict, Rijith’s mother, Janaki, reportedly expressed dissatisfaction, stating, “This judgment brings no solace, as my son is gone forever. We hoped for the death penalty for all the accused to prevent such acts in the future.”
Janaki also reflected on the long wait for justice, lamenting that her husband, who had hoped for this verdict, passed away two years ago. Rijith’s sister, Sreeja, echoed similar sentiments, stating, “The punishment is insufficient for the crime. We are yet to decide whether to appeal for harsher penalties.”
Special Public Prosecutor B.P. Saseendran represented the prosecution, while advocates P.S. Easwaran, P. Premarajan, and T. Sunil Kumar appeared for the defence.
This verdict comes after 19 years of legal battles, highlighting the enduring pain of a family seeking justice and the persistent issue of politically motivated violence in Kerala.