Kochi: The Kerala Police on Monday arrested two Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers in connection with the murder of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) state secretary K S Shan in Alappuzha on Saturday night.
Alappuzha superintendent of police (SP) G Jaidev said the arrested RSS workers — Prasad and Ratheesh — hail from the victim’s village Mannancheri and had a role in the alleged conspiracy behind the murder.
The arrested had arranged the vehicle for the assailants who had attacked the SDPI leader, said the SP. Eight others, including those who had executed the murder, are yet to be arrested, he added.
Also, the police are yet to arrest the accused in connection with the murder of BJP OBC Morcha state secretary Ranjith Sreenivas, who was killed on Sunday morning in what looked like a retaliation to Shan’s murder.
CCTV footage near Ranjith’s house in Alappuzha city showed 12 persons entering his lane on six two-wheelers. The attack on Ranjith was unexpected as he had never figured in the hit list of the political opponents, said the police.
Against the backdrop of the two murders in Alappuzha, state police chief Anil Kant issued directed the force to strengthen the vigil across the state for the next three days. Vehicles would be checked and more police pickets would be ensured in public places. Processions and the use of loudspeakers would be restricted for the next three days.
Meanwhile, the body of Ranjith, who was an advocate in the district court, was taken to his ancestral house at Arattupuzha in Alappuzha. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai led the BJP delegation in paying homage to the party leader.
An all party meeting called by the by the district administration for Monday evening was postponed to Tuesday as the BJP decided to boycott the meeting. The BJP said the meeting was fixed at a time coinciding with the cremation of the slain leader. It amounted to an insult to him, the party said as it decided to boycott the meeting.
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