Six CPI(M) activists arrested for BJP worker's murder

Six CPI(M) activists were today arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a 53-year-old BJP worker at Andaloor in nearby Dharmadam on Wednesday last, even as the Marxist party tried to wash its hands off the incident, claiming they were not party workers.
Police claimed that the accused, aged between 25-31, were Marxist party workers and sympathisers hailing from Andaloor, from were the victim also belonged.
The arrest comes as an embarrassment to the ruling CPI(M) which had maintained since the murder on January 18 that it was a fallout of a property dispute.
Party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan today claimed that the six arrested were not CPI(M) workers.

"No protection will be given to them. CPI(M) wants peace," he told reporters.
While CPI(M) leaders had earlier claimed that the attack on 53-year-old Santosh was a fallout of a property dispute between his relatives, police said it was due to some political rivalry.

The incident was said to be sequel to an attack, allegedly by RSS workers, on some Student Federation of India students of Brenen college in Thalassery who had gone on an excursion earlier.
Santosh was attacked in his house and had 21 injuries, mostly on his hands and legs. His wife and children were away at the time of the incident on January 18 at around 11 PM.

BJP had observed a hartal the next day protesting against the attack.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan visited the house of Santosh and consoled his family members.
He demanded that a special team be constituted to probe the incident and that a court monitor the same.
He wondered why Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was remaining silent on the recent violent incidents in Dharmadom, his constituency.
"The Chief Minister should speak up against the violence," he told reporters in Kannur.
Police officers who do not toe CPI(M)'s line were being transferred, Kummanam alleged, referring to the transfer of Kannur range IG Dinendra Kashyap who was moved to the crime branch.

BJP General secretary V Muraleedharan demanded an apology from the CPI(M) for alleging that the murder of the party worker was a fallout of a property dispute.
Opposition leader in the assembly Ramesh Chennithala hit out at CPI(M) and BJP for the violence in Kannur.