The Muthanga land agitation and the 2026 verdict | Explained
A court in Wayanad, Kerala, has acquitted 42 individuals in the 2003 Muthanga land agitation murder case, while convicting four others on charges including attempted murder and criminal conspiracy. The verdict concludes a long-standing legal battle stemming from a violent clash between Adivasi activists and police.
The Principal Sessions Court in Kalpetta, Wayanad, delivered its long-awaited verdict on July 31, 2026, in three cases arising from the Muthanga land agitation of 2003. In the primary case pertaining to the alleged murder of police constable (since renamed as Civil Police Officer) K.V. Vinod, the court acquitted all 42 accused, including social activist M. Geethanandan. Of the 57 accused in the murder case, 15 died due to age or illness before the verdict was delivered. The court noted that the second accused, Ashokan, who was found to have physically assaulted Vinod, passed away during the trial. As he died during the trial, the proceedings against him abated, preventing the court from recording a conviction.
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