Moral policing murder: 5 convicts sentenced to life

Kozhikode: The Manjeri additional district and sessions court on Friday sentenced five men to life imprisonment for the 2016 moral-policing murder of a 42-year-old man at Mankada in Malappuram. Pronouncing the verdict, judge Thusar M observed that the mob lynching carried out by the accused should be treated as akin to terrorism. Those sustained injuries are first five accused Nayakath Abdul Nassar, 46, his brother Sharafudheen 39), Pattikkuth Suhail ,40, Pattikkuth Abdul Ghafoor, 60, and Pattikkuth Zakkeer Hussain (49)- all natives of Koottil near Mankada.In addition to life imprisonment, accused 1, 2 and 4 were awarded rigorous imprisonment of five years and 11 months and a fine of Rs 15,000. Third accused Suhail and fifth accused Sakeer Hussain who were also found guilty of destruction of evidence have been sentenced to additional seven years and 11 months rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 20,000. All sentences will run concurrently.According to prosecution case, the accused forcibly broke open the door of a house where the fifth accused's sister-in-law lived alone in the early hours of June 28, 2016, alleging that the victim, Nazeer Hussain, had visited the house at an odd hour. They beat him up brutally and he later succumbed to the injuries.The court had convicted the accused under IPC sections 302 (murder), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with dangerous weapon), 449 (house trespass to commit an offence punishable with death).Accused six to eight Chennekkunnan Shafeeq,40, Mukkilpeedika Parambath Mansoor, 40, and Ambalappally Abdul Naser, 41- were acquitted due to lack of evidence.According to the prosecution, the accused beat up Hussain brutally using sticks for around two hours, following which he fell unconscious. The court noted that the fact that the accused didn't even give water to the victim and didn't allow to take him to the hospital showed the cruel and inhuman attitude.Special public prosecutor P G Mathew, who appeared for the prosecution, said that the the visuals retrieved from the mobile phone seized from the first accused in which he had recorded video footage of the brutal assault turned crucial in the case as it showed three accused assaulting the victim. Of the 70 witnesses in the case, 39 were examined by the prosecution, including brother of the victim, the house owner. A total of 123 documents and 22 material exhibits were produced.The investigation was conducted by then Perinthalmanna circle inspectors A M Sidheeq and Saju K Abraham.