Ramesh Babu / Hindustan Times
A day after another witness turned hostile in the 2018 tribal youth’s lynching case, the deceased’s kin alleged on Sunday that the inordinate delay and casual attitude of the authorities weakened the case.The 28-year-old mentally challenged tribal youth,Madhu, was lynched by the local people in Attapady in Palakkad region of Kerala on charges of stealing food items from a shop.
So far, nine witnesses have turned hostile and two public prosecutors have been changed in the case.
The latest to turn hostile was Kakki Moopan, 19th witness in the case, in the special court in Mannarkkad (Palakkad) on Saturday. Moopan said that his previous statement was given under police pressure. Moopan said that he did not see Madhu getting assaulted and was forced to say that by the police.
Deceased’s kin V Malli alleged that there were concerted efforts to weaken the case from the beginning. “If the trial was held fast this would not have happened. All the accused are out on bail and they got enough time to influence the witnesses. Some of the witnesses even threatened to change their statement,” she lamented.
She said one of the accused even approached her and threatened her to not pursue the case. She said that police registered a case against M Abbas, one of the key accused, only last week after she made several complaints.
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