In an unprecedented decision that has captured the nation's attention, an additional district sessions court in Kerala's Alappuzha district has handed down a significant verdict. On Tuesday, the court sentenced 15 individuals associated with the PFI-SDPI to death for their involvement in the 2021 murder of BJP leader Ranjith Sreenivasan.

This rare judgment marks a notable moment in India's legal history. The case revolves around the brutal killing of Ranjith Sreenivasan, who was 45 years old at the time of his death. Ranjith, serving as the BJP OBC Morcha state secretary, met a tragic end when he was brutally hacked to death. This horrific incident occurred in Alappuzha town on December 19, 2021, and notably, it took place in front of his family - his wife, mother, and minor daughter, who witnessed this appalling act.

The verdict was pronounced by Additional District Session Court-I Judge Sreedevi V. It's important to note that all the convicted individuals were members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and activists of its political wing, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). The PFI, a controversial group, was banned in 2022, a year after the murder of Ranjith Sreenivasan. This ban highlights the group's contentious role in various incidents.

The court's decision to convict and sentence these 15 individuals is monumental. The convicted include Naisam, Ajmal, Anoop, Mohammed Aslam, Abdul Kalam alias Salam, Saffaruddin, Manshad, Jaseeb Raja, Navas, Sameer, Nazir, Abdul Kalam, Zakir Hussain, Shaji, and Shernas Ashraf. Each name now represents a part of this grim chapter in Kerala's history. This case not only sheds light on the gravity of political violence in India but also underscores the legal system's stance against such brutal acts.

In the wake of the landmark verdict that sentenced 15 men to death for the murder of BJP leader Ranjith Sreenivasan, his wife, Lisha, shared her perspective on the ruling. She expressed a sense of satisfaction, albeit tinged with the enduring pain of the loss. “This cannot be seen as a murder. It is a rarest of rare case. My husband was brutally attacked in front of us,” Lisha stated. Her words underscore the horror and brutality of the attack, emphasizing its impact on her and her family. The incident was not just a crime against an individual but also an act that shattered the peace and sanctity of a family.

The prosecution's findings revealed a chilling plot behind the murder. It was discovered that SDPI-PFI activists had compiled a hit list, and alarmingly, Ranjith, who was also a lawyer, was at the top of this list. This revelation came to light when the hit list was found in the mobile phone of the third accused, Anoop. This information adds a layer of premeditation and targeted aggression to the case, indicating that Ranjith's murder was not a random act but a calculated one.

15 former PFI workers found guilty in BJP leader Ranjith Sreenivasan's murder

The context of Ranjith's murder is intertwined with another incident of political violence. Hours before Ranjith's murder, K S Shan, a 39-year-old SDPI leader in Alappuzha, was killed in a brutal attack allegedly by a gang affiliated with the RSS-BJP. This incident took place at Mannanchery in Alappuzha on the night of December 18. Shan was riding a two-wheeler when he was ambushed by a car-borne gang that hit him from behind, causing him to fall. The attackers then proceeded to hack him repeatedly. Despite being rushed to a local hospital and then to a hospital in Kochi, Shan succumbed to his injuries around 11.30 pm.

In a tragic and violent continuation of these events, Ranjith Sreenivasan was murdered around 6.30 am on Sunday, approximately 10 km from the site of Shan's killing. Ranjith, who had been a BJP candidate in the 2016 Assembly polls in Alappuzha, fell victim to a 12-member gang. This group, as captured by CCTV footage, arrived at his house on six bikes and carried out the fatal attack. This footage not only provided crucial evidence but also highlighted the brutality and the number of attackers involved.

Investigators found that out of the 15 convicted for Ranjith’s murder, eight were directly involved in the execution of the crime. In a chilling sequence of events, these assailants, motivated by the earlier killing of Shan, zeroed in on Ranjith, conducting a reconnaissance of the area around his house before striking.

In the wake of the landmark verdict that sentenced 15 men to death for the murder of BJP leader Ranjith Sreenivasan, his wife, Lisha, shared her perspective on the ruling. She expressed a sense of satisfaction, albeit tinged with the enduring pain of the loss. “This cannot be seen as a murder. It is a rarest of rare case. My husband was brutally attacked in front of us,” Lisha stated. Her words underscore the horror and brutality of the attack, emphasizing its impact on her and her family. The incident was not just a crime against an individual but also an act that shattered the peace and sanctity of a family.

The prosecution's findings revealed a chilling plot behind the murder. It was discovered that SDPI-PFI activists had compiled a hit list, and alarmingly, Ranjith, who was also a lawyer, was at the top of this list. This revelation came to light when the hit list was found in the mobile phone of the third accused, Anoop. This information adds a layer of premeditation and targeted aggression to the case, indicating that Ranjith's murder was not a random act but a calculated one.

The context of Ranjith's murder is intertwined with another incident of political violence. Hours before Ranjith's murder, K S Shan, a 39-year-old SDPI leader in Alappuzha, was killed in a brutal attack allegedly by a gang affiliated with the RSS-BJP. This incident took place at Mannanchery in Alappuzha on the night of December 18. Shan was riding a two-wheeler when he was ambushed by a car-borne gang that hit him from behind, causing him to fall. The attackers then proceeded to hack him repeatedly. Despite being rushed to a local hospital and then to a hospital in Kochi, Shan succumbed to his injuries around 11.30 pm.

In a tragic and violent continuation of these events, Ranjith Sreenivasan was murdered around 6.30 am on Sunday, approximately 10 km from the site of Shan's killing. Ranjith, who had been a BJP candidate in the 2016 Assembly polls in Alappuzha, fell victim to a 12-member gang. This group, as captured by CCTV footage, arrived at his house on six bikes and carried out the fatal attack. This footage not only provided crucial evidence but also highlighted the brutality and the number of attackers involved.

Investigators found that out of the 15 convicted for Ranjith’s murder, eight were directly involved in the execution of the crime. In a chilling sequence of events, these assailants, motivated by the earlier killing of Shan, zeroed in on Ranjith, conducting a reconnaissance of the area around his house before striking.

The aftermath of these murders saw heightened tensions and unrest in the region. Activists from both the BJP and SDPI took to the streets in protest, reflecting the deep-seated political rivalries and tensions in the state. These protests prompted the police to increase their vigilance and presence across Kerala, signaling the serious implications of these events on public order and safety.