Kerala Court Acquits DYFI Activists in Assault Case

A Kerala court has acquitted seven DYFI activists accused of assaulting medical college staff. The acquittal was due to lack of evidence, as key witnesses turned hostile. Only an injured journalist backed the prosecution. The incident stemmed from a dispute over visiting a superintendent.

A Kerala court has cleared seven members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) of charges related to the assault of Government Medical College staff nearly three years ago. The Principal Sub Judge Leena Rashid's decision to acquit was influenced by insufficient evidence, as several witnesses, including four alleged victims and two bystanders, changed their statements during the trial, according to public prosecutor Robin Thomas.

The case against the DYFI members revolved around an altercation over entry restrictions at the medical superintendent's office. During the incident, a journalist was physically attacked while attempting to document the event through photographs, the prosecutor reported.

This acquittal underscores challenges in prosecuting assault cases when witness testimony becomes unreliable, raising questions about evidence handling in sensitive legal proceedings.

(With inputs from agencies.)