In what could be seen as a visible change in attitude and a peacemaking move, CPI (M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan visited the house of engineering student Jishnu Pranoy on Sunday. 

Balakrishnan also held talks with Mahija, reports The Times of India. He also addressed an explanatory meeting organized by the party in the case related to the death of Jishnu. The meeting was held near Jisnhu’s house.

He spoke in a way which seemed to suggest that the party was trying to minimize the damage caused by the party leaders’ earlier attitude towards the issue. He even extended the party’s support to Jishnu’s family. His visit to the house was prior to the meeting. 

Top leaders of CPI (M) had earlier justified the police excesses against Jishnu’s parents, which had attracted much criticism. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had supported the police action and asked what the family gained through the protest. 

Balakrishnan took the stand that the government could not function looking for the approval of Jishnu’s mother Mahija.

Jishnu, an engineering from Vadakara in Kozhikode was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his college hostel room on January this year. His parents, mother Mahija and father Asokan and relatives have been alleging it was a murder and their protest was to arrest all the accused in the case.

On April 5, they staged a protest march to the DGP’s office in the state capital which ended up with Mahija being dragged on the road by the women police personnel. 

The police excess forced them to start fasting at the government medical college hospital. They were shifted to the hospital after the police action caused physical uneasiness for Mahija and her brother Sreejith.