20-Year Jail Term for CPI(M) Workers Who Halted Police Vehicle with Bombs in 2012

In a significant verdict, two CPI(M) activists, including an LDF candidate in Kerala's Kannur district, have been sentenced to 20 years of combined imprisonment for hurling bombs at a police vehicle in 2012. VK Nishad, a candidate for the Mattammal ward in Payyanur municipality, and TCV Nandakumar were convicted for attempt to murder and explosives-related offenses by the Taliparamba Additional Sessions Court. The duo, members of the DYFI youth wing of CPI(M), will serve the 20-year sentence concurrently, resulting in a minimum 10-year jail term for each. They have also been fined ₹2.5 lakh each, with an additional year of imprisonment in case of non-payment. The incident occurred on August 1, 2012, following the arrest of CPI(M) district secretary P Jayarajan in connection with the murder of IUML activist Ariyil Shukkoor. At the time, Nishad and Nandakumar were SFI workers and hurled country-made steel bombs at a police vehicle carrying officers, including then sub-inspector KP Ramakrishnan. Miraculously, the bombs did not explode, and the officers escaped unharmed.