Tight security for judge who awarded death sentence to PFI workers

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Police on Wednesday beefed up security for the judge, who awarded the death sentence to 14 accused in BJP leader Ranjith Sreenivasan's murder, due to threats.

According to police sources, additional security has been provided to Additional Sessions Judge V G Sreedevi in the wake of the serious threats that started appearing on social media. No direct threats were received though. A six-member police team led by a sub-inspector was deployed for the judge's security on Wednesday.

Social media posts with her picture, making personal criticism and threats against her surfaced after she awarded death sentence to 14 of the 15, found guilty in the brutal murder of BJP-OBC Morcha state secretary Sreenivasan in Alappuzha in December 2021.

Order on the sentence of one convict was reserved as he could not be produced before the court on Tuesday owing to medical reasons.

All convicts were activists of the now-banned outfit PFI (Popular Front of India) and its political arm SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India).

It was considered a landmark judgment as all the convicts, including conspirators, were awarded the death sentence.

Meanwhile, the verdict has prompted a demand from the family members of SDPI leader K S Shan of Alappuzha, who was allegedly killed by BJP-RSS activists on December 18, 2021. They have urged the government to expedite the proceedings in the Shan murder case.

Sreenivasan was killed within 12 hours of the next day, which was seen as a crime done in retaliation. Shan's killing, on the other hand, was allegedly in retaliation for RSS activist Nandukrishna's killing in February 2021. The trial in Shan's murder and Nandukrishna's murder are yet to commence.

Sources said a chargesheet in the Shan murder case has already been filed and the trial is likely to begin in February.