Witnesses are kept hidden and made to retract statements, allege Madhu’s family

PALAKKAD: Attempts are made to sabotage Madhu murder case using money and political influence, alleged his family. Lately, two people had retracted statements while testifying on two consecutive days. The witnesses are kept hidden and are made to retract statements, alleged Madhu’s relatives.

The witnesses are kept hidden and not being able to speak with them has created a crisis, said special prosecutor C Rajendran. Those who testified before the magistrate that they saw Madhu being thrashed had turned hostile recently. Both of them have denied their earlier statements and said that they had initially given the statements in fear of police threats.

Madhu (30), a native of Mukkali Chindakki village, was caught by the locals for allegedly stealing food on February 22, 2018. He was brutally thrashed and lynched by the mob. Huge protests had erupted as the visuals of the mob attacking the mentally disturbed youth surfaced on social media.