Kozhikode: Two men found guilty in the 2003 Marad massacre have been awarded double life sentence by the special additional court handling the case on Tuesday.

The two sentenced are accused no 95 Poorayil Koyamon, alias Hydrosekutty (50), and accused no 148 Nizammudin (41).

Hydrosekutty and Nizammudin were arrested in 2010 and 2011, respectively, after they had absconded even as over 60 others were brought to justice much earlier.

Hydrosekutty was found guilty of promoting enmity, unlawful assembly and violating the Explosives Act. Nizammudin was found guilty of murder, unlawful assembly, rioting with a deadly weapon and violation of the Arms Act.

In 2003, nine fishermen were killed in communal violence in the coastal village of Marad in Kozhikode district. The dead included 8 from the Araya community and one who was part of the gang that unleashed the violence.

The court have so far convicted 63 out of the 139 who faced trial.

In 2016 the Kerala High Court ordered the CBI to probe the case and unravel the larger conspiracy behind the incident.

Special Additional Judge K S Ambika pronounced the sentence on Tuesday.