The ongoing trial in the lynching case of Attappady Madhu suffered yet another setback when one more witness turned hostile on Friday. With eight key witnesses backtracking from the statements they had given to the police, concerns are high about the fate of the case.
Kali Moopan, a forest watcher on contract, was the 18th witness who turned hostile on Friday. Seven other witnesses, including two forest watchers, had turned hostile since the trial of the case started at the SC/ST Special Court at Mannarkkad on June 8.
The Forest department recently sacked two other watchers for backtracking on their original statements during the trial. The department action, considered as a pre-emptive measure against any further forest staffer turning hostile during the case, proved futile when Kali Moopan changed his statement on Friday.
