Madurai, Feb. 26 -- The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday has upheld the life sentences awarded to 26 convicts in connection with the 2018 murder of three Scheduled Caste men at Kachanatham in C district.

A Division Bench of Justices GK Ilanthiraiyan and R Poornima upheld the life sentences imposed by judgement, while acquitting one accused, Ilayaraja, in the case. The High Court was hearing appeals filed by the accused challenging their conviction and sentence.

The case pertained to an incident of May 28, 2018, in which a group of persons from the dominant 'intermediate caste' allegedly attacked Scheduled Caste villagers with deadly weapons. The assailants were reportedly angered over the villagers' failure to accord t...