A court in Kerala’s Kasaragod district has acquitted 21 BJP-RSS workers in the 2014 murder case of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) supporter Zainul Abid. Delivering its verdict on Saturday, the court said the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against the accused.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Achinthya Raj Unni pronounced the verdict, acquitting all 21 accused nearly 12 years after the killing.
Those acquitted include local BJP leaders Mahesh K, Udayan, Prashanth, Prathap and Harish B.
During the trial, the court examined the statements of 81 witnesses, along with 20 material exhibits and 150 documents.
Zainul Abid Was Attacked Inside Shop in Kasaragod
Zainul Abid, 24, was killed on the night of December 22, 2014, near the old bus stand in Kasaragod. He was a resident of Thalangara Kunnil and a supporter of the SDPI.
According to the prosecution’s account, Abid was helping his father, K A Muhammad Kunhi, close their mattress shop at around 9:30 pm when a group of men allegedly entered the shop and attacked him with sharp weapons.
Other shopkeepers reportedly rushed to the spot after hearing his cries, but the attackers had fled.
Abid Died During Treatment
Following the attack, Abid was taken to a private hospital in Kasaragod. As his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to Mangaluru for further treatment.
He died on December 23, 2014, a day after the attack.
A murder case was registered, and 21 BJP-RSS workers were arrested in connection with the killing. However, the court has now acquitted all the accused, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish the charges against them.
The acquittal concludes the trial against the 21 accused, though the verdict does not change the fact that Abid died following the attack in December 2014.
