Kerala Court Convicts 13 in 2018 Lynching of Tribal Man Madhu; High Court Acquits First Accused

Kochi, May 25, 2026: A Special Court in Mannarkkad, Kerala, delivered justice eight years after one of the state’s most brutal hate crimes, convicting 13 individuals for the lynching of Madhu, a 27-year-old tribal man, on February 22, 2018. The High Court of Kerala, in a separate order on May 20, 2026, acquitted the first accused, Mecheri Hussain, while confirming the trial court’s verdict against the remaining 14 defendants. The case exposed deep systemic failures and highlighted the vulnerability of tribal communities in Kerala to mob violence and discrimination.

Madhu, the son of Mallan and Malli, was a poor, mentally challenged tribal youth who had studied only up to Class VII. He lived in isolation in a cave inside the Attappady forest in Palakkad district. On the day of the incident, he was accused of stealing rice and groceries from shops near Mukkali junction. According to the prosecution’s case, a man collecting firewood in the forest spotted Madhu and alerted others. A group entered the forest, forcibly dragged him out, tied his hands with a lungi, placed a sack over his head, and marched him nearly four kilometers to Mukkali. During this forced march and at the junction, Madhu was brutally beaten and publicly humiliated. Disturbing images and videos of the assault—including selfies taken by members of the mob with the injured youth—were widely shared on social media, sparking national outrage.