CPM worker killed in Kerala; party sees RSS hand, BJP denies charge

In a video that emerged hours after the killing, BJP Thalassery mandal president and municipal councillor K Lijesh was seen reminding the CPM about how the party had handled those who assaulted their workers in the past.

The victim has been identified as Korambil Haridas of Punnol near Thalassery in Kannur. (Photo: Facebook)

A CPM worker was reportedly hacked to death in Kannur district early on Monday morning. The party accused RSS-BJP men of killing the 54-year-old fisherman, but the BJP denied the allegation, saying it was the fallout of a local issue.

The victim has been identified as Korambil Haridas of Punnol near Thalassery in the district. The accused, who were reportedly lurking near his house, allegedly pounced upon Haridas when he stepped into the house compound after fishing. They allegedly inflicted around two dozen injuries on him besides chopping off one of his legs before fleeing on two-wheelers. Though rushed to a hospital, Haridas succumbed to injuries. Seven persons have been taken into custody in connection with the incident.

Security has been beefed up in the region, which saw several killings and counter killings involving the CPM and the Sangh Parivar.

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In a video that emerged hours after the killing, BJP Thalassery mandal president and municipal councillor K Lijesh was seen reminding the CPM about how the party had handled those who assaulted their workers in the past. He was speaking at a meeting held in protest against an alleged attack on the BJP-RSS workers over a local temple festival at Punnol.

Lijesh said: “CPM goons, led by two partymen, had brutally attacked our workers in an organised manner. Sangh Parivar has taken up that matter emotionally. We have a clear idea on how to handle those who have laid their hands on our workers… CPM can look at the past to realise how such incidents would be handled. Our region, where peace is prevailing, need not go into the days of unease due to the hooliganism of two dreaded criminals. BJP is holding this protest to bring the incident before the public.”

Police sources prima facie suspect that the murder could be a fallout of the tension prevailing between the CPM and the RSS for the past two weeks over a clash during a local temple festival. Cases had been registered against both sides.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the police had been directed to book all those involved in the case. “There seems to be a concerted attempt behind the murder to shatter peace and trigger riots in the region. All should maintain constraint to ensure peace,” he said.

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The CPM state secretariat alleged that the murder had been planned by the BJP, which wanted to trigger violence in Kerala. “Trained persons are behind the murder. Two months ago, RSS had trained 3,000 persons at a camp and it is suspected that the murder has been executed by those trained at that camp. The incident shows the BJP is not ready to put down the weapon,’’ the secretariat said.

However, the BJP-RSS leadership denied the allegation. BJP state president K Surendran said neither BJP nor RSS had any role in the murder, which, according to him, was a fallout of a local issue. “CPM men are unleashing violence under the Vijayan regime. We cannot accept the police taking the party councillor into custody,” he said.

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