Author: Rosamma Jose
Publication: Mid-Day
Date: August 1, 2003
A special investigation team
of the Crime Branch has filed a charge sheet against 150 people in connection
with the massacre of nine persons at Marad in Kozhikode, Kerala, on May
2. These include 83 activists of the Indian Union Muslim League, a member
of the ruling coalition, and five juveniles.
Besides IUML activists, several
members of the opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist), Indian National
League and National Development Front also figure in the 400-page charge
sheet filed before the Kozhikode chief judicial magistrate on Wednesday.
It is very rare that police file
charge sheets in such sensitive cases within 90 days.
In fact, the charge sheets in the
January 2001 communal violence in Marad was filed only after the relatives
of the victims wreaked vengeance on May 2. A total of 30,950 cases are
lying in various police stations in the state since 1987 awaiting filing
of charge sheets.
According to the chargesheet, the
May 2 Marad conspiracy was hatched at the behest of the relatives
of Aboobacker, one of the five victims of the 2001 violence.
Charges framed include murder,
conspiracy, illegal possession and use of weapons and misuse of place of
worship.
