BJP man killed in Kerala amid clashes with CPM

State BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan alleged that the CPM was behind the murder.

A BJP worker was on Wednesday night killed at Dharmadam in Kerala’s Kannur district. Dharmadam is represented in the Assembly by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Police identified the victim as Ezhuthan Santhosh, 52, who had contested as a BJP candidate in the last civic polls in the CPM stronghold. Santhosh was alone when a gang stormed his house around 11.30 pm on Wednesday and attacked him. He died on the way to a hospital.

State BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan alleged that the CPM was behind the murder. CPM Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan rejected the allegations and claimed that Santosh’s murder was a fallout of a family dispute over property. He called for a detailed probe into the matter.

Police said they were probing if the murder was a fallout of a clash between supporters of SFI and ABVP at a nearby state-run college earlier this week.

To protest against the incident, BJP observed a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kannur district.

In another incident in the district, a crude bomb was hurled at an RSS office at Taliparamba. No casualty was reported in the incident. In retaliation, BJP workers damaged offices of CITU and CPM.

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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