Kannur (Kerala), July 6: The Thalassery additional district sessions court has awarded life imprisonment to 11 Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) workers in connection with the murder of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker in 2008.

The court pronounced the accused guilty of the murder of the BJP worker Mahesh on Thursday. The incident happened on March 6, 2008. According to media reports, the motive behind the murder was anger over Mahesh quitting CPM and joining BJP.

Mahesh, an autorickshaw driver, was waiting for passengers when the CPM workers attacked him. Following the incident, a series of clashes took place between CPM and BJP workers.