The Additional District Sessions Court at Thalassery on Thursday found nine workers of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) guilty of the murder of Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] worker Naroth Dileepan in 2008.

Those who have been found guilty by the court are P.K. Latheef, U.K. Siddhique, U.K. Faisal, V.K. Unais, P. Faisal, V. Muhammed Basheer, T. Yakoob, Muhammed Farooq and Paneri Gafoor.

The court would pronounce the sentence in the case on February 16.

Of the total 16 accused in the murder case, the trial court acquitted seven as the prosecution could not establish the charges against them.

Branch secretary

According to prosecution Dileepan, who was branch secretary of the CPI(M) at Chakkad in the district, was fatally attacked near Vilakkod by a gang of 16 people on the August 24, 2008.

He was on his way home after attending a party campaign. The murder had been apparently in retaliation for the murder of National Development Front (NDF) worker Sainuddeen at Kakkayangad.