Palakkad: The family of Madhu, the tribal youth whose lynching in Attappady had shocked Kerala and the nation, reacted with mixed emotions after the Kerala High Court increased the sentence of 12 convicts to life imprisonment in the case.
Although relieved by the tougher punishment, Madhu’s mother Malli and sister Sarasu expressed disappointment over the acquittal of the first accused, Hussein. They indicated that the family would challenge the acquittal through legal means, The New Indian Express reported.
Malli said that the family was happy with the verdict and grateful to everyone who supported them during the prolonged legal battle, including the government. However, she added that they had not expected the first accused to be acquitted and could not understand the reason behind the decision. Sarasu also stated that the family intended to continue the legal fight.
The High Court enhanced the sentence originally awarded by the Mannarkkad trial court from seven years to life imprisonment for the 12 accused. The case came before the court through appeals filed both by the convicts seeking acquittal and by the state government seeking stricter punishment.
The state had approached the High Court after repeated demands from Madhu’s family, who argued that the earlier sentence did not match the seriousness of the crime.
Madhu, a mentally challenged tribal youth from Attappady, was assaulted and publicly humiliated by a mob in February 2018 after being accused of stealing food items. Photographs of him being tied up and attacked had triggered outrage across the country and drawn attention to mob violence and the discrimination faced by tribal communities.
In its observations, the High Court said Madhu’s death highlighted the gap between constitutional ideals and the realities experienced by marginalised communities. The court noted that the collapse of eyewitness testimony was a serious concern.
The judges observed that the incident was not an isolated act, but rather the outcome of a social atmosphere in which some people believed they had the authority to detain, punish, and humiliate a tribal man accused of theft.
The court further stressed that the tribal people of Attappady are citizens entitled to equal dignity, constitutional protection, and humane treatment like every other person. According to the court, Madhu’s death remained a painful reminder of how far society still was from fulfilling those constitutional promises.