CPM activist to serve life term

CPM activist to serve life term: "The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the conviction of CPM activist A Pradeepan in the murder of Jaykrishnan Master, state Vice President of Bhartiya Yuva Morcha in Kerala but reduced his death sentence to life imprisonment. However, a Bench comprising Justice S B Sinha and Justice Markhandey Katju, gave benefit of doubt to six other activists by setting aside the death penalty awarded to them along with Pradeepan for hackling to death Jaykrishnan in a classroom in front of the students.

Jaykrishnan was killed in broad daylight in a primary school classroom in Kerala's Kannaur district allegedly by the CPM cadre in 1999. The Kerala High Court last year had confirmed the death penalty awarded to them by the trial court in 2003 for the offence committed in Kannur District in 1999. (With PTI inputs)"