Palakkad: Kerala Police nabbed all accused in the case over the of a local CPM leader Shajahan in Marutharode of Palakkad district in Kerala. The six more accused were nabbed on Tuesday evening, while two were under custody by morning itself.
Shahjahan, a CPM local committee member at Kunnangadu, was hacked to death by a bike-borne gang at Marutha Road on Sunday night. His relatives have alleged that he had received threats from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) members. The investigation team has found CCTV footage of the accused gathering at a bar in Palakkad town on the day of the murder. A 20-member team headed by Palakkad DySP V K Raju is investigating the murder.
His killers are BJP members who were earlier CPM activists, they added. Shahjahan’s brother-in-law claimed the murder was carried out with the knowledge of the BJP leadership. Meanwhile, Shahjahan’s mother S Sulekha said her son was killed by those who used to accompany him frequently. ‘I never expected my son to be betrayed like this’, she said. Indicating it was a planned crime, Shahjahan’s friend Musthafa said he received a WhatsApp message warning that the CPM worker would be killed on August 15.
According to the FIR, political rivalry resulted in the murder of Shajahan. The victim suffered attack on his neck and leg, it said. Suresh, the person who reportedly witnessed the brutal act, named Shabari and Aneesh for the attack. He also said that his son was among the attackers. Shajahan’s relatives had alleged that he faced continuous threats from a person named Naveen but is not sure if he too was taken into custody by police. The murder on the eve of Independence Day has triggered a political controversy with the CPM alleging RSS-BJP hands behind the crime, even as opposition parties and some top Left leaders refused to make such claims stating it was premature to come to that conclusion.
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