Mannarkad (Palakkad): The Police have launched a massive manhunt for the accused in the Attappady Madhu murder case,  who went into hiding after a court cancelled their bail.

A team led by Agali police conducted searches in the houses of these accused, DySP N Muraleedharan said.

The searches were held to nab K Marakkar (the second accused), PC Shamsudheen (third), T Radhakrishnan (fifth), P Aboobacker (sixth), V Najeeb (ninth), MV Jaijumon (10th), C Abdul Karim (11th), PP Sajeev (12th), and V Muneer (16th).

The special court on Saturday cancelled the bail granted to 12 of the 16 accused in the case.

The SC/ST(POA) Special Court in Mannarkkad cancelled the bail citing the accused of having influenced the witnesses to destroy the case.

It remanded K Aneesh (fourth accused), PK Siddique (seventh), and C Baiju (15th) till September 3.

However, the rest of the nine accused failed to appear before the court on the day it pronounced the verdict on their bail pleas.

It was on February 22, 2018, that Madhu - a tribal youth from Chindakki hamlet near Mukkali, Attappady - was killed by a group of locals alleging regular theft.

However, the trial could not begin for more than four years for various reasons, including the refusal of the special prosecutors to take up the case.

When Madhu's family protested, the government appointed C Rajendran as special public prosecutor.

However, he was removed and replaced by his deputy Rajesh M Menon when the witnesses started turning hostile.