Madhu lynching case: Witness Sunilkumar has excellent eyesight, reveals medical report

Palakkad: Witness Sunilkumar who turned hostile in the Attappadi Madhu lynching case has excellent eyesight, revealed the medical examination ordered by the court earlier in the day.

"The court ordered the eye test because it got suspicious about the claims made by the witness. Now with the results of the test, the court's suspicions have been proven right. It will take proper action against the witness for giving a false statement following due procedure," special public prosecutor Rajesh Menon told Onmanorama.

He exuded confidence that the prosecution's case is still strong despite so many witnesses turning hostile. All evidence, including digital ones, is solid, Menon said.

Meanwhile, the Forest Department fired Sunil from his job as a temporary watcher under Silent Valley Division for turning hostile in the case.

A special court in Kerala’s Palakkad district, where the trial in the case relating to the lynching of tribal youth Madhu is going on, witnessed dramatic events on Wednesday even as two more witnesses turned hostile.

The SC/ST(POA) Special Court in Mannarkkad, in a surprising move, ordered to conduct an eye test of one of the witnesses soon after he turned hostile. The court ordered to examine the eyesight of Sunilkumar, a forest watcher, after he said that he was not able to recognise the people, including himself, in some footage screened by the court.

In the footage, Sunilkumar was seen standing next to Madhu when the mob caught him. Sunilkumar had told the police that he had clearly seen the accused attacking the tribal youth.

The court declared him hostile after he retracted his earlier statement before the court on Wednesday. The court, however, told him that it could clearly see the visuals screened as evidence. The court then ordered his eye test. He was taken to Palakkad District Hospital for the test. TV channels aired visuals of a visibly tensed Sunilkumar being taken to the hospital.

The court’s order as well as the governmental action are seen as a step to prevent the remaining witnesses from turning hostile. Along with Sunilkumar, another witness, Deepu, also turned hostile on Wednesday. So far 16 prosecution witnesses have turned hostile, leaving the fate of the case that rocked the state uncertain.