RSS, BJP seek CBI probe; Rajnath asks Chandy to take strict action to stop political killings in the State
Kerala on Tuesday observed a dawn-to-dusk shutdown to protest against the brutal murder of RSS leader Manoj at Kathiroor near Thalassery in Kannur on Monday even as the BJP and the RSS demanded a probe by a Central agency into the killing. Manoj was hacked to death allegedly by a Marxist killer gang.
The State-wide hartal called by the BJP and RSS to protest the murder evoked good response and passed off peacefully barring some minor incidents of violence. Shops and business establishments across Kerala remained closed, vehicles kept off the roads and attendance at most Government offices was poor.
Thousands of people paid homage to the slain RSS leader at Thalipparamba, Kannur and Thalassery when the body was taken to his native village Kathiroor under heavy police presence for cremation after post-mortem at the Medical College at Pariyaram.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh sought the details of the incident from Chief Minister Oommen Chandy over the phone. Singh asked Chandy to take strict action to stop political killings in the State.
“The Home Minister has expressed concern over the murder of social activist Manoj and asked the Kerala Chief Minister to take strict action to stop such political killings,” a Home Ministry official said. The Chief Minister conveyed to the Home Minister that a team of high level officials have rushed to the spot to probe into the incident. Chandy also assured Singh that he would convene an all-party meet to discuss the issue of political killings in Kerala.
State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday announced an investigation by the Kerala Police’s Crime Branch into Manoj’s murder after RSS-BJP leaders protested against the constitution of a probe team headed by Crime Detachment Deputy SP TV Premarajan, who is allegedly “close” to CPI(M)’s Kannur leaders.
Manoj, Kannur district Sharirik Shikshan Pramukh of the RSS, was hacked to death by a killer gang at Diamond Mukku in Kathiroor when he was travelling along with two friends in a Maruti Omni vehicle. The RSS leader who suffered hack injuries in the neck and head died on the way to the hospital.
The police have registered an FIR naming eight CPI(M) workers as accused. Immediately after the murder, Jain Raj, son of Kannur district CPI(M) secretary P Jayarajan, had made a Facebook post congratulating the “dear comrades” who had carried out the crime and saying, “How long I have been waiting to hear this news!” Manoj was fifth accused in the case pertaining to the attempt to murder Jayarajan on August 25, 1999.
“The person who made the Facebook post after murder should be booked for it shows that he could have a role in the plan for the murder. Isn’t it abominable to congratulate the killersIJ” State BJP president V Muraleedharan asked. He alleged that the murder was committed with the knowledge of the CPI(M)’s central leaders including general secretary Prakash Karat.
Former Kerala BJP chief PK Krishnadas said that the murder of Manoj was part of a CPI(M) plan to prevent the flow of its workers and sympathisers into the BJP. However, the CPI(M)’s Kannur district secretariat issued a two-line Press release saying that Manoj’s murder was an unfortunate incident and that the party had no role in it.