After the brutal attack on a 34-year-old RSS Sakha Karyawahakh on Saturday, who died in Thiruvananthapuram, eight persons have been taken into police custody.
Those who have been taken into custody include Manikuttan, Bijith, Gireesh, Aby, Pramod and Ajith. According to reports, while six of them were directly involved in carrying out the crime two were part of hatching the conspiracy. They were taken into custody from Pulippara in Kattakada. The police have also seized a vehicle which the accused used.
According to reports, Manikuttan is a history-sheeter who was earlier booked under Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAPPA). According to the police the motive behind the murder was not exclusively political. “Both political and personal reasons are there. We are yet to reach any conclusion regarding this. The main accused Manikuttan doesn’t have a clean background, he is a history sheeter. He was detained under KAPPA twice. He has had a personal grudge against Rajesh, and also differences of opinion on the political level. They both belong to the same colony at Sreekaryam and have raised complaints against each other earlier too,” City Police Commissioner G Sparjan Kumar told TNM.
The incident took place at around 9pm last night in Thiruvananthapuram. Rajesh hailing from Sreekaryam was hacked to death by a group of around 30 people.
The BJP has called for a state-wide hartal alleging that the CPI (M) was behind the crime. The CPI (M), however, has denied the allegation stating that the party has no involvement in the case.
The crime has evoked protests from various corners. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president, MM Hassan, and opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala have started a fast in protest against such crimes.
Meanwhile, the dawn to dusk hartal is almost complete in the state as most of the roads appear deserted. Even services operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation are limited.
The police have been on their toes to avoid any untoward incidents. “Every effort is being taken to nab the culprits involved in the murder of the RSS activist as soon as possible,” said the State Police Chief Loknath Behra in a statement.
“Police have been instructed to strictly deal with any attempt for violence and adequate force have been deployed in all sensitive spots,” the statement said. The State Police Chief has also appealed to people on social media, to restrain from spreading rumours and provocative messages, which would also attract legal action.