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SDPI worker stabbed to death in Kerala’s Palakkad
The police suspect that the latest murder was a retaliatory attack to avenge the killing of RSS worker Shinjith in November allegedly by SDPI workers.
A worker of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the Popular Front of India, was stabbed to death in Palakkad allegedly by activists of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Friday.
SDPI Elapully area secretary P Subair, (43), was travelling with his father on a motorbike after Friday prayers when he was hit by a car. When both the riders fell on the road, assailants stabbed the SDPI worker repeatedly. Though he was rushed to a nearby hospital he succumbed to his wounds, police said.
The police suspect that the latest murder was a retaliatory attack to avenge the killing of RSS worker Shinjith in November allegedly by SDPI workers. His father, K Abubaker, was admitted to a hospital after he suffered injuries when they were hit by the car. SDPI state secretary Roy Arakkal said the RSS was behind the brutal murder.
Shinjith was attacked and killed in a similar way on November 15. He was attacked while he was travelling with his wife and assailants hit his bike and stabbed him after he fell from his vehicle. Later police arrested five SDPI workers in connection with the case. The police have tightened vigil in the area to avert further clashes. They recovered a car reportedly used to hit Subair’s bike. It was found abandoned near the murder site. Palakkad SP R Viswanadh who rushed to the spot said efforts are on to nab the assailants. State police chief Anil Kant has asked all district police heads to take necessary action to avert further violence.
Malampuzha legislator A Prabhakaran (CPI-M) has condemned the political murder. “It is sad a young man was killed on a festival day (Vishu). Killing is not part of politics and all should condemn such mindless acts,” he said in Palakkad. The RSS is yet to respond to the serious charges. In the last six months, five workers were killed in retaliatory attacks by both political parties in the state-- 3 RSS workers and 2 SDPI activists. In Alappuzha two leaders belonging to both parties, SDPI secretary AS Shan and BJP’s OBC Morcha state secretary Ranjith Sreenivasan, were hacked to death in less than 12 hours on December 19.
