Kerala RSS worker’s killing: Police identify 20 suspects, but yet to establish ‘political rivalry’

According to the Kannur SP, while the family had named only eight people, police investigation indicated the involvement of 20 people.

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“It was a minor issue that led to this murder,” he said, citing an an incident involving two minors at a school near Valapattanam.

“It escalated after people from outside questioned the boy who had allegedly misbehaved with a girl. Then another group intervened to question them, causing further tension over this petty issue. We are yet to ascertain if it finally gained political colour and if that played a part behind the murder,” said Unnirajan.

Sujith, a daily wage labourer who worked as a painter, was murdered at 11.30 pm Monday after a group of men with weapons reportedly stormed his house at Aroli near Pappinissery, a CPM stronghold. Sujith suffered multiple stab injuries in the attack.

In a region notorious for political rivalry between CPM and BJP-RSS workers, the BJP called for a strike in the area after the killing. Kerala BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan quickly pointed out that the murder happened on the night when CPM’s Nava Kerala Yatra, a state wide tour of Pinarayi Vijayan, concluded in Thiruvananthapuram.

While CPM state secretary Kodieryi Balakrishnan and senior leaders called it a local issue without any links to the party, Rajasekharan said it was a political murder as CPM workers were the accused. “Will anyone go and kill a person in front of his parents for such a petty issue? It was a political murder. Arrested people may not be CPM leaders, but the police should find out if there was any role of leaders in the murder,” he said.