All 56 accused including Geethanandan acquitted in cop’s death case in Muthanga

WAYANAD: In the murder case of police head constable K V Vinod during the Muthanga land strike, 56 accused including Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha leader Geethanandan, have been acquitted. The second accused, Ashokan, who was found guilty by the court, had died earlier. The court found that Ashokan was the one who last hacked Vinod and this was the cause of death. The court clarified that since the accused is dead, no punishment is being delivered.

The court added that the prosecution could not prove the crime of the other accused in this case and could not prove a conspiracy in Vinod's murder. The Wayanad District Principal Sessions Court delivered the verdict in the 23-year-long case. In the case of 57 accused, 39 of the surviving accused were present in the court. 15 of the accused had died earlier.

Meantime, the court found four accused, including Geethanandan, guilty in the attempt to murder cop Abdul Salam and in the case of fatally injuring a forest department official Sasidharan. The court sentenced the accused to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000. The court also ordered a compensation of Rs 7 lakh to the family of Vinod, who was killed during the Muthanga protest, Rs 3 lakh to injured Salam and Rs 2 lakh to Sasidharan.

The police action to evacuate those who had staged a land protest in Muthanga led by the tribal assembly resulted in violence on February 19, 2003. Following the violence, KV Vinod, a constable in the Kannur KAP 4th Battalion, was killed. Vinod bled to death after being brutally beaten. In addition, a tribal youth named Jogi was also killed in police firing. Several policemen and protesters were injured in the violence.

The incident in question took place during the A K Antony government. The riots were triggered by a rights struggle led by tribals in the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary in Wayanad, led by C K Janu and M Geethanandan.