PALAKKAD (Kerala), Apr 16: Kerala’s Palakkad district on Saturday witnessed a second political murder in the last 24 hours after a bike-borne gang hacked to death an RSS leader at his shop in the heart of the town.
S K Srinivasan (45), a former district leader and office-bearer of RSS, was attacked by a six-member gang at his motorbike shop in Melamuri near here, police said.
The incident occurred less than 24 hours after a Popular Front of India (PFI) leader was killed in a village near here, allegedly by the BJP.
Following the RSS leader’s murder which happened in the afternoon, locals have closed shops in the nearby areas and the police have increased the security.
The CCTV visuals from the nearby shops, which was aired by TV channels, show that the assailants riding three motorbikes reaching the shop and three of them attacking Srinivasan.
A massive manhunt has been launched by the police to nab the culprits who fled the scene after committing the murder of the RSS leader.
ADGP (Law and Order) Vijay Sakhare will reach Palakkad town and camp there to coordinate with the investigation into the two political murders which took place within a span of 24 hours.
“Three companies of Kerala Armed Police-1 (KAP-1) have been directed to move to Palakkad,” a senior police official told PTI.
Around 270 members of the armed police battalion will camp in Palakkad as part of security measures.
Meanwhile, police on Saturday reportedly took into custody four RSS workers in connection with the murder of Subair the previous day.
Subair, 43, was hacked to death at Elappully in the district while he was returning home along with his father after offering prayers in a mosque on Friday afternoon.
The body of the PFI leader was handed over to his relatives after conducting an autopsy at the District General hospital here. Subair’s body was taken to his native place to conduct the last rites with a large number of SDPI and PFI activists accompanying it.
Police also have found the car in which the assailants of Subair fled after the crime. Several people have been questioned by the police in connection with the PFI leader’s murder.
The PFI on Friday had alleged that it was the RSS which was behind the killing of its leader. Police suspect that the attack on the RSS leader was a retaliation. (PTI)
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