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This is an archive article published on May 17, 2023

NIA arrests absconding PFI member in Kerala over 2022 RSS worker murder

The NIA said its fugitive tracking team had tracked Saheer to a relative’s house in Palakkad, following which he was arrested.

NIA arrest in Kerela upThe NIA said Saheer was part of the PFI’s “assault and protection” team. (File photo)
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NIA arrests absconding PFI member in Kerala over 2022 RSS worker murder
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The NIA has arrested a member of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in connection with the 2022 murder of an RSS worker in Kerala’s Palakkad district, the agency said on Wednesday.

Saheer K V had been absconding since the murder of RSS worker Srinivasan, who was hacked to death in April last year. The NIA has already made several arrests in the case, and 10 accused are still absconding.

The NIA said its fugitive tracking team had tracked Saheer to a relative’s house in Palakkad, following which he was arrested. A reward of Rs 4 lakh had previously been announced for information leading to his capture.

RSS worker Srinivasan’s murder took place on April 16, 2022, around 24 hours after a local PFI leader had been murdered, allegedly by RSS men.

The NIA said Saheer was part of the PFI’s “assault and protection” team, which carried out Srinivasan’s murder. He was also allegedly responsible for giving protection to the main assailants involved in the murder.

The agency said its investigations showed that Saheer, who had been PFI’s area president at Pattambi in Palakkad, was involved in the conspiracy behind the murder. In March this year, the NIA had filed a chargesheet against 59 accused in a special court in Kochi. One of these accused, identified as Abdul Naser, died in January.

Earlier this year, the NIA told a court that the PFI had established various wings to eliminate their targets.

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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