2 Leftists held in YC activists murdercase, let out on bail

: Two CPI(M) leaders here were arrested Tuesday in connection with the killing of two Youth Congress activists in the district in February and were later granted bail, police said.

K M Manikandan and Balakrishnan, an area secretary and local secretary of the Left party, were charged under IPC sections 201 (causing disapperance of evidence or giving false information) and 212 (harbouring offenders), sources told PTI.

With this, the total number of people arrested in connection with the case has touched 13.

CPI(M) local leader A Peethambaran had been arrested earlier for allegedly instigating the killings of Kripesh (24) and Sarath Lal (21), the youth congress activists, they said.

Kripesh and Sarath Lal were waylaid and attacked while returning home after attending a function here in February.

The opposition Congress and BJP had alleged that the killings were executed with the knowledge and support of the leadership of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), a charge which the party had denied.