A branch secretary of the CPI(M) party was stabbed to death in Kerala’s Thrissur on Sunday. The deceased has been identified as P U Sanoop, 26, from Puthussery in Thrissur.

The incident happened at 11:30 pm on Sunday in Thrissur’s Chittilangad, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Erumapatty police station.

According to reports, Sanoop and three other CPI(M) workers had visited Chittilangad on Sunday. He was in the neighbourhood to meet a friend, who reportedly had differences with the local BJP workers in the area.

Sanoop and three of his CPI(M) associates visited Chittilangad in order to resolve these differences. However, discussions between both the parties soon heated up and turned into a violent fight claiming the life of Sanoop, who died on the spot.

Apart from Sanoop, the three others have been identified as Abhijeet, Vibhoot and Jitin, who are all around 25 years of age and active members of the CPI(M).

The fight took place on an internal road that is inaccessible to cars. The area has also not reported tensions between RSS and CPI(M), leading the police to conclude that the fight and subsequent stabbing was sudden and not pre-planned.

The Thrissur police have begun investigations into the fight and subsequent murder.

Speaking to TNM, an officer from the Erumapetty police station said that four of those who were involved in Sunday’s fight have been admitted to the Royal and Jubilee Mission hospitals in Thrissur, after they sustained injuries.

“We have not yet made any arrests in the case. So far, one person has died and the others are getting treated for injuries. We have registered an FIR in the station under section 302 of the IPC,” he added.