Kozhikode court acquits suspects in attack on MCH security guards due to lack of evidence

The Kozhikode Principal Assistant Sessions court has acquitted all the suspects involved in attacking security guards during an argument over unauthorised entry to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital in August 2022. The majority of the accused involved in the incident were Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists and leaders.

The accused were let off due to lack of evidence. Though the police submitted the surveillance camera visuals as evidence of the alleged attack, the injured guards turned hostile during the trial proceedings.

Three security guards – K.A. Sreelesh, N. Dinesan and Raveendra Panikkar – had sustained grave injuries in the assault. A mediaperson had also been manhandled at the spot. One of the security guards had been hospitalised for months following grave internal injuries.

The clash took place when the DYFI workers were prevented entry to the hospital without visitors’ pass. When the security guards tried to remove them from the spot, a group of suspected DYFI workers arrived and allegedly attacked the guards.