Kerala: Local CPI(M) leader hacked to death in Palakkad
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Palakkad, Kerala: A local CPI(M) leader was hacked to death Sunday night allegedly by bike-borne members of a gang at the Marutha road near Palakkad, police said.
The victim, identified as Shajahan, was killed at around 9.15 pm near his house Sunday night.
"We are recording statements of eyewitnesses. He was immediately taken to the hospital but could not be saved," a senior police official told PTI.
The party has called for a hartal in Marutha road Grama Panchayat on Monday until Shajahan's cremation.
Shajahan was at the shop with his friend purchasing items when an alleged five-member gang hacked him and fled from the spot. Shajahan was gravely injured in the head and neck and was rushed to the district hospital immediately but could not be saved. His body was shifted to the hospital mortuary.
The police mentioned the possibility of a political rivalry in the case.
"He was accused in a political murder case and we suspect this too is a part of political rivalry," added police.
Further investigations are underway.
Earlier, on April 19 three people were arrested in connection with the murder of a Popular Front of India (PFI) leader, Subair who was hacked to death in front of his father in Palakkad district, informed the police.
According to the police, the three arrested persons have been identified as RSS workers Ramesh, Arumugham, and Saravanan.
Notably, an RSS worker, Srinivasan, was hacked to death in Palakkad within 24 hours of the PFI leader's murder. The BJP had alleged that the Social Democratic Party of India, the political offshoot of PFI, was behind the killing.
"The motive that we understand is that the accused Ramesh is a close friend of Sanjith, the RSS worker who was murdered. Before the murder of Sanjith, he had told Ramesh that if something happens to him Subair will have some role. The same team attempted to murder Subair twice before," ADGP (Law and Order) Vijay Sakhare told reporters.
Subair, 43, was allegedly hacked to death at Elappully in Kerala's Palakkad district while he was returning home after offering prayers in a mosque on Friday afternoon.