Kerala: Marad case verdict deferred to Dec 7

Kozhikode, Nov 29: The Special Court hearing the ghastly Marad violence that claimed nine lives in this district of Kerala on May two, 2003, on Saturday, Nov 29 deferred verdict in the case to Dec 27.

Announcing this at a packed court room here, Special Judge Babu Mathew P Thomas said ''another 20 more working days will be needed to complete the formalities'' in the sensitive case.

As many as 147 persons were chargesheeted in connection with the mob violence which was a sequel to an earlier clash that claimed five lives at Marad, a fishing village on the Kozhikode Coast, in January 2002.

One of the accused in the case died during pendency of the proceedings while two were absconding.

The prime accused in the second incident of violence, Marad Thekkeppurath Mohammedali, is the brother of Aboobacker who was killed in the 2002 clash.

The accused were charged under Sec 302, 307, 326, 427,143, 147, 148, 149 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Some of them are booked under the Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act and the Religious Institution (Prevention of Misuse) Act and Sec 120 (b) of the IPC.

UNI