Palakkad A special team of investigators has been appointed to probe the RSS murder of CPI(M) Maurtha Road local committee member, Kunnkatt Shajahan in Palakkad. The 20-personnel team will be headed by Palakkad DySP.
According to sources, two suspected to have taken part in the hacking directly, are already in police custody. There are a total of eight persons involved in the crime, said the district police chief , R// Vishwanath.
Shajahan’s family said he had been threatened with death for a while now. The first accused Sabreesh, 2nd accused Aneesh and 3rd accused Navin had specifically told Shajahan they would hack him, said Shajahan’s family members. Navin had warned of hacking just two days before they actually did; this kind of murder is not possible without help from high runged BJP leaders, the family said. The FIR has termed the killing as political murder. Police have on hand extensive details on all the accused.
The murder: The gruesome murder took place on Sunday night at 9.15. At the time, Shajahan was outside talking with his friend Suresh, when a gang of RSS men, including Suresh’s son, arrived on bikes armed with machetes and hacked Shajahan multiple times. Shajahan sustained deep gashes to his neck and head. Suresh admitted to police his son was indeed one among the killer gang. The rest are RSS workers and friends, he said.
The motive : The RSS gang comprised drug peddlers who became infuriated after Shajahan assembled resistance against selling drugs in the area.
Emotional farewell :Thousands flocked to the party office and Shajahan’s residence yesterday, where his body was laid for last respects, before being buried at Kallepally Juma Masjid amid slogans of martyrdom and outrage filling the air.
