The Madras High Court today suspended the life sentence awarded to six men by a lower court in a case related to the murder of a PMK worker during clashes in Marakkanam town in Villupuram district in 2013.
A bench comprising justices M Jaichandren and S Nagamuthu suspended the sentence when appeals filed by the six challenging the order of a court in Tindivanam came up for hearing.
Additional District and Sessions Judge P Selva Muthukumari had on February 3 held the six guilty and convicted them for offences including murder, possession of deadly weapons and rioting and awarded life imprisonment.
The matter relates to clashes that broke out in the coastal town of Marakkanam in Villupuram district between PMK cadres on their way to attend an annual festival organised by the youth wing of Vanniyar Sangam, the parent body of PMK, and members of another community on June 24, 2013.
Several buses and other vehicles were damaged and set afire in the clashes during which one Selvaraj of PMK was found murdered at Kazhikuppam bus stand.
Police had arrested the six persons in connection with the murder.
