Thaliparamba Court Hands 25-Year Sentence to CPI(M) Cadres in Thimiri Bomb Case

Ten CPI(M) workers receive 25-year sentences for a 2011 bomb attack on RSS-BJP activists in Thimiri, underscoring the judiciary's stance against political violence. The court's decision allows most convicts to serve 10 years, as the attack was linked to ongoing regional tensions.

In a significant ruling, a Thaliparamba court sentenced ten Communist Party of India (Marxist) members to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment over their involvement in the 2011 Thimiri bomb attack case. This verdict underscores the judiciary's resolute position against political violence. The judgment, delivered by Additional District and Sessions Judge K.N. Prasanth, concerned an attack where bombs were reportedly thrown at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Thimiri, near Alakode, Kannur district.

The prosecution characterized the attack as pre-planned and part of a larger pattern of retaliatory political violence in the region. Among the sentenced individuals was T.V. Binu, also known as 'Udumb Binu.' Despite the gravity of the sentences, the court permitted nine of the convicts to serve their terms concurrently, effectively reducing their prison time to ten years.

The prosecution's account places the bombing on November 27, 2011, targeting a vehicle carrying RSS-BJP workers near Thimiri College. The assault reportedly followed a heated dispute regarding the establishment of an RSS branch locally, with tensions having escalated a day earlier due to clashes between the groups. Approximately 30 party workers were aboard the vehicle during the incident, nine of whom sustained severe injuries from the explosion, as stated by the prosecution. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)