THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fast Track Court I Judge Y. Thajudeen Koya on Tuesday found two Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists guilty of murdering a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus conductor at East Fort in July 2000.

The persons found guilty of murder are Manu, alias Vinod, 28, and Vijayakumar, alias Poodan Biju, residents of Muttathura, Sreevarahom.

The verdict in the case will be pronounced by the court on Wednesday.

Rajesh, 20, was killed when a march organised by RSS and BJP activists in the city turned violent.

The prosecution case was that Rajesh was murdered by the activists with wooden staff and stones at Transport Bhavan around 12.30 p.m. on July 13.

The court also found 23 RSS and BJP activists guilty of various charges, including criminal conspiracy, destruction of public property, abetment, unlawful assembly and rioting with deadly weapons during the march.

While Hindu Aikya Vedi State president Shishupalan, 70, and 10 others, including BJP State secretary Umakantan, 47, a native of Paravoor, Ernakulam; Girishan Nair, 49, Rajan, alias Rajkumar, 45, Ravi Kumar 39, and Manikandan, 62, residents of Manacaud; Padmakumar, 42, resident of Karamana; Jayakumar, 41, resident of Nemom; Rajasekharan, 43, resident of Palkulangara; Maheswaran, alias Arun Kumar, 39, resident of Kudappanakkunnu, and Sudhakaran, 53, resident of Vattiyoorkavu; were found guilty of conspiracy, abetment and destruction of public property by the court, 12 others were found guilty of unlawful assembly and rioting with deadly weapons.

They are Ramesh, alias Chandra Mouli, 26, resident of Vanchiyoor; Anand Mohan, 24, resident of Kowdiar; Praveen Kumar, 22, resident of Kudappanakkunnu; Vishnu, alias Shinu Kumar, 28, and Murali, 49, of Ernakulam; Raj, 40, of Vilavoorkkal; Narayanan, alias Krishnan, 37, and Santhosh, alias Santhosh Kumar, of Ulloor; Unnikrishnan, 31, R. Aji, alias Ayyappan Nair, 28, and Vijayesh, 30, residents of Vattiyoorkavu; and Sudarshanan, 27 resident of Sreevarahom.

More than 80 KSRTC buses were damaged in the incident and public property estimated at more than Rs.8 lakhs was vandalised.

The prosecution examined 89 witnesses as part of the case. Public Prosecutor R. Anil Kumar appeared on behalf of the prosecution.

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