‘Political killing’ jolts Kerala again, RSS worker stabbed to death

A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker was stabbed to death on Sunday by alleged activists of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala, which has been of late witnessing frequent political clashes.

Police said Vadekkethala Anandan (28), an accused in the murder of CPI(M) activist Mohammed Kasim five months ago, was on his motorbike around 1pm when he was waylaid and attacked in Nenmini near the temple town of Guruvayur.

Anandan was stabbed repeatedly. He was rushed to a private hospital where he died.

He was on bail and the police suspect that his murder is a revenge killing.

The RSS-BJP called a shutdown on Monday in temple town Guruvayur in protest.

Police said they have identified the car in which Anandan’s assailants travelled.

Security has been beefed up in the area to avert further violence. Senior police officials have rushed to the spot to monitor the situation.

The CPI(M) and the RSS-BJP are engaged in a violent turf war in the state.

Earlier the red-saffron violence was confined to north Kerala’s Kannur district, but of late it has started spilling over to other parts of the state.

In Kannur more than 200 persons belonging to both camps were killed in three-decade-long bloodbath.

In the bloody saga of gore and revenge, the party leaders are evidently fast losing their grip on marauding cadres who are intoxicated with their ideology.

State BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan had carried out a state-wide yatra recently against what his party called red and jihadi terror. Many senior BJP leaders including its national president Amit Shad took part in the march.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the RSS had organised a rally at the state capital on Saturday to protest against “growing political intolerance” in Kerala.

“The latest killing again exposed the criminal face of the CPI(M). It never believed in democracy and annihilation of political rivals is the trademark of the party,” said the BJP’s state president while condemning the murder.

The CPI(M) Thrissur district unit denied its role in the killing.