Verdict in 2016 Kannanmoola killing
A Nedumangad SC/ST Special Court on Friday sentenced seven persons to life imprisonment in the 2016 homicide of a 19-year-old at Kannanmoola in Thiruvananthapuram district, PTI reported. The court found the accused guilty under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The judge, A. Shajahan, convicted Arun (alias Paratta Arun), Lallu, Rajesh (alias Poocha Rajesh), Sanalkumar (alias Sanju), Vijesh (alias Vishnu), Manu (alias Shetty Manu) and Sreenath (alias Bolji) and sentenced them to imprisonment for life. An eighth accused, identified as Suresh (alias Ashir), was also held guilty but had died before sentence could be pronounced.
| Accused | Alias | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Arun | Paratta Arun | Life imprisonment |
| Lallu | — | Life imprisonment |
| Rajesh | Poocha Rajesh | Life imprisonment |
| Sanalkumar | Sanju | Life imprisonment |
| Vijesh | Vishnu | Life imprisonment |
| Manu | Shetty Manu | Life imprisonment |
| Sreenath | Bolji | Life imprisonment |
| Suresh | Ashir | Guilty; died before sentence |
Background and investigation
The victim, identified in court records as a 19-year-old youth, was killed on October 7, 2016, after alleged assailants entered his house at Kannanmoola. The attack followed a violent fallout between two gangs reportedly led by Puthenpalam Rajesh and Dini Babu. The prosecution alleged the youth was targeted because he was close to Puthenpalam Rajesh, whom it said had been linked to the killing of Suni Babu, a brother of Dini Babu, in December 2015.
The incident left the victim's parents, Anil Kumar and Bindu, and his aunt Laila with serious injuries. A child witness — the victim's cousin, then seven years old — gave evidence during the trial.
Prosecution case and trial details
PTI reported that the prosecution presented an extensive body of evidence over the course of the trial: 48 witnesses, 144 material objects and six documents were produced before the court. The case was first probed by Pettah police before being transferred to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Shangumugham. Following perceived lapses in the probe, a different Assistant Commissioner took over and filed a revised chargesheet.
"The accused were found guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act," PTI reported.
- Seven accused received life imprisonment; one accused was convicted posthumously and five others were acquitted.
- Case highlighted inter-gang rivalry and alleged revenge dynamics dating to 2015.
- Investigation involved multiple transfers and a revised chargesheet before trial began.
Local implications
The verdict brings legal closure to a case that has occupied local courts and police for nearly a decade. The use of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the charges underlines the case's social sensitivity and the severity with which the prosecution pursued the matter.
Residents in Kannanmoola and adjoining localities said the incident had cast a long shadow over neighbourhood safety soon after it occurred. While the court's sentences address criminal accountability, community leaders and civic groups have repeatedly urged sustained policing and social interventions to prevent gang rivalries from escalating into deadly violence.
The five men acquitted by the Nedumangad court were named as Dini Babu, Jayan, Ajees, Unnikrishnan Nair and Dileep, PTI reported. The court's detailed judgement will set out the evidence and legal reasoning for conviction and acquittal.
Police records show the case passed through several investigative hands before the trial, reflecting procedural complexities that often accompany long-running criminal prosecutions in urban Kerala. The district legal and police authorities did not immediately provide additional comment following the verdict.
