A poignant note written by Abhimanyu surfaces in court during the murder trial

A rather poignant moment occurred during the murder trial of Abhimanyu, a postgraduate student at Maharaj College, before the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court on Thursday when the prosecution produced a short note, allegedly written by the young victim, expressing gratitude to a classmate who had provided him with food.

“I was just hungry today. At least I had a good meal. Thank you so much for giving me enough food to fill my stomach,” read a note written in black ink on what appeared to be a scrap torn from a notebook page. The report was submitted to demonstrate how Abhimanyu continued his academic and organizational activities in the fight against hunger.

The note surfaced during the interrogation of a former Kerala Students’ Union (KSU) leader at the college in 2018. A witness identified the note and kept a photograph of it on his mobile phone. He testified that Abhimanju left a note on the plate of the student who fed him.

The witness also said that the first accused, Muhammed, called him on the fateful night and asked him to move his motorcycle parked near the college gate. He said Abhimanyu’s murder deeply traumatized him for almost a year. According to him, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) maintained cordial relations with other student outfits during his tenure at the college and there were no major issues.

Abhimanyu also shared friendly relations with members of all student organizations. In fact, he was the first to participate in a football penalty shootout hosted by KSU, the witness said. He also identified the voice messages he had sent to friends when he learned about Abhimanyu’s murder and confirmed their authenticity.

Abhimanyu, a second-year Bachelor of Chemistry student and secretary of SFI’s college unit, was fatally stabbed on 2 July 2018 during clashes between SFI activists and Campus Front, the student wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI), allegedly over a graffiti dispute. The killing sparked widespread protests and reignited debate about political violence on college campuses.

The trial in the Abhimanyu murder case has been going on without interruption in the Ernakulam High Court since October 15 after the Kerala High Court in July ordered it to be completed within four months, following a plea filed by Abhimanyu’s mother, Bhoopathy. Principal Sessions Judge KK Balakrishnan is presiding over the trial while G. Mohanraj is acting as Special Public Prosecutor.

Published – 13 Nov 2026 07:00 IST