Five gets seven years imprisonment in Noel murder case

KOTTAYAM: The court awarded seven years rigorous imprisonment to the five accused for murdering Noel (23) of Chempu. The district additional sessions court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 to each. Rs 2 lakh should be given to the family of Noel from the amount. The court also directed to pay Rs 50,000 to Noel’s brother Noble, who was attacked. The verdict is that Noel, who jumped into the river to escape from the attackers, was not allowed to return to shore, resulting in his death.

The accused are Shameer (45), his brother Sinaj (44), their father Abdul Aziz (64) of Vadakkemuri Onattutharayil, Shaji (54) of Innamthuruthil, Vadakkemuri and Sudheer Subi of Vadekkemuri. The court acquitted Majeed, Mathew, Anoop and Shahul Hameed, who were on the list of accused. The court also directed that a case be registered against the witnesses who turned hostile.

The incident happened on March 16, 2012. The Priyadarshini bus and its driver Noble had reached the petrol pump in Vaikom at around 10:30 in the morning to fill fuel. Abdul Aziz beat Noble accusing him of hitting his bike when reversing the bus. Later, he brought his children and relatives and stopped the bus from its Ernakulam trip and beat Noble again. When the injured Noble was admitted to the Vaikom Government Hospital, the accused also reached there.

Noble and his brother Noel, who was with him, were also beaten by the accused in the hospital premises. When they fled for their lives and took refuge in a relative's house in Murinjapuzha, the accused also arrived here. Later, Noble and Noel jumped into the Murinjapuzha river and tried to swim and escape. However, when they realized that it was impossible to reach the other bank of the river, which is about 200 meters wide, they both swam back. The accused threw stones at the brothers at this time. They also threatened them with sticks and swords. The accused did not allow Noel, who was in a weakened state after swimming, to reach the shore. Noel then drowned in the river.