Sat Jan 04 07:54:53 UTC 2025: ## 19-Year-Old Murder Case Ends in Conviction of Nine RSS-BJP Activists

**Kannur, Kerala –** Nine RSS-BJP activists were found guilty on Saturday in the 2005 murder of DYFI activist Rijith, concluding a 19-year-long trial at the Thalassery Additional Sessions Court in Kannur, Kerala. The court delivered its verdict after a lengthy legal process, convicting V.V. Sudhakaran, K.T. Jayesh, C.P. Rejith, P.P. Ajeendran, I.V. Anil, P.V. Srikanth, V.V. Sreejith, P.P. Rajesh, and P.V. Bhaskaran. A tenth accused, K.T. Ajesh, passed away during the trial. Sentencing is scheduled for January 7th.

Rijith, 26, was brutally murdered on October 3, 2005, in what was considered a politically motivated attack. He was ambushed by a group of ten men near a temple while walking home with friends. The attack reportedly stemmed from a dispute over the opening of an RSS branch.

Rijith’s family expressed mixed emotions following the verdict. His mother, Janaki, spoke of 19 years of waiting for justice, noting the loss of her husband who had also waited for the case’s resolution. His sister, Sreeja, echoed these sentiments.

Special Public Prosecutor B.P. Saseendran represented the prosecution, while the defense was led by advocates P.S. Easwaran, P. Premarajan, and T. Sunil Kumar. The case, filed based on a complaint from a friend who witnessed the attack, marks the culmination of a protracted legal battle for Rijith’s family and the community.

Read More