Thrissur: In a significant decision, the Kerala government has issued an order to compensate three CPI(M) workers who were wrongfully convicted and imprisoned in the 1994 murder case of RSS activist Sunilkumar in Thozhiyur, near Guruvayur in Thrissur district. Each of the individuals is to receive ₹5 lakh as compensation, with the amount being recovered from police officers involved in the flawed investigation.
Background: The Murder of Sunilkumar
On the night of December 4, 1994, RSS activist Sunilkumar was hacked to death at his residence in Thozhiyur under Guruvayur Municipality. Guruvayur police registered a case and charged nine CPI(M) workers. Of them, four—Rayamarakkar Rafeeq, Thaikkad Baburaj, Vaakkayil Biji, and Haridasan—were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Thrissur Sessions Court.
Subsequently, the Kerala High Court, upon appeal, acquitted all four, citing serious lapses in the investigation. Tragically, one of the acquitted—Haridasan—passed away due to illness shortly after his release. The remaining three submitted a petition to the Chief Minister seeking compensation for their wrongful incarceration.
Police Lapses and Government Response
On September 28, 2022, the Deputy Superintendent of the Crime Branch, Thrissur, recommended compensation, acknowledging investigative flaws and the High Court's findings. The government, acting on the recommendation and judicial directions, has ordered the compensation, to be recovered from the pension benefits of the retired police officers involved in the original investigation.
The Collapse of a Dalit Family
The case had devastating consequences for Haridasan’s family—a Dalit household from Muthuvattoor, Chavakkad. Haridasan, the fourth of seven children of coconut climber Tupradan Ramu and his wife Malu, was seen as the family’s pillar. His wrongful conviction led to a series of tragedies: his father died soon after hearing of his arrest, his mother passed away from a heart attack, and other family members—including siblings—died from various causes in the ensuing years. Only three members of the once nine-member household remain.
Haridasan, who suffered custodial torture and long imprisonment, was diagnosed with tuberculosis and died within a month of his release.
Who Really Committed the Murder?
A reinvestigation ordered by the High Court revealed that the murder was carried out by operatives of Jamiat-ul-Ihsaniya, a radical Islamic outfit believed to be the precursor to the Sunni Tiger Force. The organization, known for its secrecy and lack of formal structure, was active in Thrissur, Palakkad, and Malappuram districts.
According to Crime Branch findings, nine members of the group were involved in the murder of Sunilkumar. Of these, six have been arrested. The primary accused, Shajudheen (55), a resident of Vatanappally Anjangadi, was arrested 31 years after the crime.
Capture After Decades on the Run
Shajudheen, believed to be the right-hand man of Saitalavi Anwari, the principal accused in both the Thozhiyur and the Chekannur Maulavi disappearance cases, had fled the country in early 1995. He maintained his identity under altered facial appearances and updated his passport in 2005, 2011, and 2021. However, Kerala Police, using archived biometric and photographic data from his 2001 overseas job application, identified and apprehended him upon his arrival at Nedumbassery Airport on July 20.
Three other accused remain at large, including Saitalavi Anwari and Nahas. One suspect has since died.
The Chekannur Maulavi Case Connection
The Thozhiyur murder case has strong links to the high-profile disappearance of Chekannur P.K. Mohammed Abul Hasan Maulavi, a reformist Islamic scholar and founder of the Quran Sunnath Society. Known for his controversial interpretations of the Quran—rejecting Hadiths and advocating Quran as the sole authority—Maulavi faced opposition from orthodox Islamic factions.
He vanished under mysterious circumstances on July 29, 1993, after being invited under the pretext of delivering a religious lecture. He was 56 at the time. The court later acquitted all accused in the case due to lack of evidence, as Maulavi’s death could not even be legally established.
Saitalavi Anwari, the first accused in both cases, is believed to have masterminded Maulavi’s abduction and was closely associated with Shajudheen, who was arrested recently.
.png)
The opinions posted here do not belong to 🔰www.indiansdaily.com. The author is solely responsible for the opinions.
As per the IT policy of the Central Government, insults against an individual, community, religion or country, defamatory and inflammatory remarks, obscene and vulgar language are punishable offenses. Legal action will be taken for such expressions of opinion.