Kerala BJP chief K Surendran on Tuesday, November 16, called on Governor Arif Mohammad Khan seeking a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the murder of an RSS worker in Palakkad. Twenty-seven-year-old Sanjith was hacked to death in front of his wife on Monday. Police said that the role of activists of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political offshoot of Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), in the murder. There is a history of conflict between the RSS and the SDPI in the area.
Speaking to mediapersons, K Surendran said, "We have demanded an NIA probe as all know that the hands of the Kerala Police are tied." He added, "It has been 24 hours since the brutal crime, which is now understood to be a well planned and organised crime by the SDPI. Sanjith was getting death threats for the past few months," he said.
Surendran alleged that SDPI is getting the support of the Kerala Police and the state government. "In the past two weeks, this is the second incident of the murder of RSS worker by SDPI, and there is a striking similarity in the way the killings have been done," he said.
"We will now request Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for an NIA probe. We will also meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah with the same demand, as only an NIA probe will bring out the truth as this is terror killing," Surendran said.
Sanjith’s wife Arshika, the prime witness in the case, told the media that he was attacked by five people. They were not wearing masks and she would be able to identify the accused if she were to see them again, she claimed. It was also reported earlier that this was not the first attempt that was made to kill Sanjith. Last year, two members of the SDPI, identified as Sabeer Ali and Anwar Sadiq, were arrested while they were trying to flee to Tamil Nadu after trying to kill Sanjith. The Palakkad Town Police said that a case had been registered in June after the murder attempt.
The police have formed seven teams and initiated an investigation into the case.