Kerala HC Acquits First Accused in Lynching of Mentally Ill Tribal Youth; Enhances Sentence for 12 Others

Nearly eight years after the 2018 lynching of Madhu, a mentally ill tribal youth in Attappadi, the Kerala High Court acquitted the first accused, Hussain, due to unreliable witness evidence, while enhancing the sentences of the remaining 12 convicted accused to life imprisonment. The bench upheld the trial court's findings under the SC/ST Act. Madhu was brutally assaulted by a mob over theft allegations, sparking outrage over caste violence and mob justice. The state and his family had sought harsher punishment, arguing the crime warranted murder charges. Digital records helped Hussain prove witnesses were not present during the incident. Witness intimidation and inadequate trial court sentences had also challenged the case.