A 23-year-old lorry driver, Nikhil was killed on March 5, 2008. (Representational)
Five CPI(M) workers were today sentenced to life imprisonment for killing a BJP functionary in 2008 in the politically-volatile Kannur district in northern Kerala.
The Thalassery Additional Court also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on each of them.
Those sentenced to life imprisonment are K Srijit (39), V Binoy (31), K P Manaf (42), PP Sunil Kumar (51) and C K Masood (34).
Eight people were accused in the case. While one of them died during the trial, two others were acquitted by the court for lack of evidence.
The prosecution said 23-year-old Nikhil, a lorry cleaner, was pulled out of the vehicle and hacked to death by the accused on March 5, 2008 because of political enmity.
Forty four people were interrogated and 67 records were produced by the prosecution in the case.