In the aftermath of two murders in Palakkad in Kerala, the district administration has issued a ban on male pillion riders on two-wheelers till April 20. However, women and children are exempted from this ban. This ban joins an existing set of rules imposed in Palakkad by additional district magistrate K Manikandan after two brutal murders of a Popular Front of India (PFI) and a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader.
“Following the murders of PFI and BJP leaders, there is a possibility that it could lead to religious unrest and disruption of law and order situation. The existing ban will remain in place in Palakkad district till 6 pm on April 20. Additional District Magistrate K Manikandan has amended the order stating that no one except women and children are allowed to pillion ride in two-wheelers,” the post stated.
While authorities have not officially disclosed the reason for banning male pillion riders, the move is suspected to have come as the modus operandi of political killings in the district usually involve a pillion rider who is carrying the weapon.
According to reports, the order passed by the Palakkad authorities also bans the assembly of five or more people in public places and a strict restriction has been imposed against organising processions and meetings in public places. Further, carrying weapons or explosives has been banned and the police have also started to monitor social media accounts, and have issued warnings against people posting sensitive messages.
On April 15, 43-year-old Subair, a PFI leader was killed in a village near Palakkad. He was allegedly hacked to death at Elappully in the district while he was returning home after offering prayers in a mosque on Friday afternoon. Subair was allegedly hit by a car while on a bike with his father and attacked using sharp-edged weapons. Subair's father, who allegedly suffered injuries after falling from the bike, has been admitted to a hospital, police said. Police said that the car abandoned by Subair’s killers was registered in the name of Sanjith, an RSS worker who was killed last year allegedly by activists of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political offshoot of the PFI.
A day later, on April 16, 45-year-old Srinivasan was hacked to death by a gang in Palakkad. The RSS worker was attacked by a group of assailants at his shop in the heart of Palakkad town, where the suspects reportedly arrived at the spot on motorbikes. Reacting to the attack, the BJP alleged that the SDPI was behind the killing of Srinivasan.