The police intensified search for nine of the 12 accused in the Attappady Madhu lynching case whose bail was cancelled by the trial court.
Nine of the accused were absconding since the Special Court for SC/ST (PoA) Act, Attappady, cancelled their bail on Saturday last. When three of the accused had surrendered and were remanded in judicial custody, the remaining nine were still at large. The police said they extended the search beyond the State borders.
Those wanted by the police are Marakkar (second accused), P.C. Shamsuddin (third accused), T. Radhakrishnan (fifth accused), Aboobacker (sixth accused), Najeeb (ninth accused), M.V. Jaijumon (10th accused), Abdul Kareem (11th accused), P.P. Sajeev (12th accused), and V. Muneer (16th accused).
Although the police raided their houses, they could not be traced. The police said they were on the trail of the accused. A special team is likely to be formed soon to nab them.
The trial court on Saturday cancelled the bail of the accused granted by the High Court following a plea by the prosecution on the ground that they had violated the bail conditions and influenced the witnesses. As many as 13 witnesses have turned hostile ever since the court began the trial on June 8.
