The Ezhukone police on Sunday arrested the accused in the murder of a CPI(M) branch secretary B Devadathan. Charuvila-native Sunil, who is currently held in police custody, has been charged under section 302 (punishment for murder) and 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint). He will be produced before the Kollam District and Sessions Court on Monday.

56-year-old B Devadathan, a CPI(M) branch secretary of Eruthanangad, was hit on the head multiple times with a log before being stabbed to death on Saturday afternoon at Kuthirathadam Vallakkadavu near Eruthanangad in Kollam district. The incident took place at 1.30 pm when Devadathan was campaigning for local co-operative bank elections at Pavithreswaram.

The police had been on the lookout for Sunil after he disappeared soon after the incident. Kollam Rural District Police Chief B Asokan IPS told TNM, “Sunil has many other cases against him in various districts. Three months ago, Sunil was arrested for producing and transporting illicit liquor and was let out on bail. Devadathan at the time had helped police nab Sunil in the case. It is suspected that it was to exact revenge on Devadathan for getting him caught in the illicit liquor case that this murder took place.”

Asokan further clarified to that there was no political angle to the killing, and that it was the result of a personal conflict, despite some social media posts initially hinting that it was a politically motivated murder.

Sunil was rushed to Kollam Medicity hospital soon after the incident but succumbed to his injuries. His body was shifted to Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital and is currently at Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, for post-mortem.

Devadathan is survived by his wife Kumari and two children, Athulya and Achudev.