In a significant development in the brutal assassination of BJP state leader and Swayamsevak Ranjith Srinivasan, the tenth accused, PFI Islamic terrorist Nawaz, has also been awarded the death penalty. The Mavelikkara Additional Sessions Court found Nawaz guilty of his role in the gruesome killing that took place at Ranjith’s residence in Alappuzha district. Nawaz had been undergoing medical treatment during the previous round of trial.
Earlier, on January 30 last year, the court had sentenced 15 other PFI terrorists affiliated with the banned Islamist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) to death for their involvement in the same case. It marked the first instance in Kerala’s history where so many individuals were handed capital punishment in a single judgment. The verdict was delivered by Judge V G Sridevi despite the support of Kerala government for PFI, underscoring the gravity of the crime.
Ranjith Srinivasan, a committed BJP state leader and a respected figure in Kerala, was mercilessly hacked to death on December 19, 2021, by PFI terrorists inside his own home. The attack took place in front of his mother, wife, and young daughter, sending shockwaves across the state. He had been the target of multiple assassination attempts due to his active involvement in nationalist organisations.
Amid swift public outrage, the Kerala Police were compelled to arrest members of the PFI and its political wing, the SDPI, who were directly involved in the meticulously planned political assassination.
Those sentenced to death in this horrific act of Islamic terror include Nizam, Ajmal, Anoop, Muhammad Aslam, Salam Ponnad, Abdul Kalam, Safaruddin, Munshad, Jaseeb Raja, Nawaz, Shameer, Nazir, Zakir Hussain, Shaji Poovathinkal, and Shamnaz Ashraf.
This landmark judgment is seen as a strong message against political jihad and religiously motivated violence. The court’s decision stands as a tribute to Ranjith Srinivasan’s legacy and a stern warning to extremist outfits like PFI that thrive on hate and bloodshed.
