SDPI leader’s murder revenge for RSS worker’s killing: Police

Submitting the remand report in a local court in Alappuzha, police said there was a conspiracy behind the killing of the SDPI leader and it was a retaliation for the killing of Nandu Krishna in February allegedly by SDPI men.

The report said that the RSS cadres also helped the gang which attacked Shan, to find a hideout after the crime.

Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) state secretary K S Shan was killed in Alappuzha on December 18 in revenge for the murder of a Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) worker, Nandu Krishna, earlier this year, police said on Sunday.

Submitting the remand report in a local court in Alappuzha, police said there was a conspiracy behind the killing of the SDPI leader and it was a retaliation for the killing of Nandu Krishna in February allegedly by SDPI men. The report said that the RSS cadres also helped the gang which attacked Shan, to find a hideout after the crime.

Read | Two more RSS workers arrested for SDPI leader’s killing in Kerala

Fourteen persons, including the five-member gang that allegedly hacked the SDPI leader to death, have been arrested in connection with the case. All those arrested are linked to the RSS, the police said.

Hours after Shan’s killing, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Other Backward Castes (OBCs) Morcha state secretary Ranjith Sreenivas was also hacked to death in Alappuzha.

Meanwhile, a BJP delegation on Sunday met Governor Arif Mohammed Khan alleging that police are probing the death of the BJP leader in a partial manner. Police are openly discriminating against BJP-RSS workers, said the petition submitted by the the delegation to the governor. As many as 22 BJP-RSS workers were killed by rivals during the Pinarayi Vijayan regime, however, the conspiracy behind the killings was not unearthed, the petition added.

Also Read | 5 SDPI activists in custody in Kerala BJP leader’s killing

Police are yet to arrest the persons directly involved in Ranjith’s murder. However, five SDPI workers, who had abetted the crime by ensuring logistic support, have been arrested in connection with the case, police had said.

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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Kerala violence