9 BJP-RSS workers get life term

THALASSERY: The Additional Sessions Court here sentenced to life imprisonment nine of the accused in the murder case of an NDF worker at Punnad in Irittty on Monday. All the nine accused are BJP-RSS workers. Those  sentenced to life imprisonment also have to pay a fine of Rs 5000 each.M Chandran,39, Edavanayil Retnakaran, 49, Karakkunnu Shyju, 40, Payyampally Pradeepan, 46, Padikkachalil Biju alias Vijesh, 38, Kizhakkeveetil Babu, 34, Karamkunnil Padmanabhan, 40, Puthan Veetil Vineesh, 31, and Punjayil  Shyju alias Unni,37 were sentenced to life imprisonment.It was on June 7, 2004, that NDF worker P V Muhammed was stabbed to death at Punnad near Iritty. In all, there were 26 accused in the case but the court acquitted 16 of them.