Kerala custodial death: BJP for CBI probe

The Kerala BJP is all set to launch a storm of protests demanding a CBI probe into the murder in police custody of a youth in Varappuzha near Kochi, unraveling of the alleged conspiracy behind the violence targeted against a particular section witnessed during an “undeclared” shutdown over Kathua incident on April 16 and an end to the CPI(M)’s hunt against the family of a woman who delivered a stillborn baby following a Marxist attack.

The party will take out a march from Alathiyur to Tanur, both places in Muslim-majority Malappuram district, on May 5 demanding an NIA probe into the conspiracy behind the violent incidents that took place during the April 16 shutdown over the Kathua gangrape-murder. The hartal was observed despite the fact that no party had given a formal call for it.

The march will be led by State BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan. The BJP is demanding explanations from the leaderships of the CPI(M), Congress and Muslim League on how religious extremists had infiltrated their ranks as was seen during the shutdown. Widespread violence against establishments of a particular section had been witnessed during the shutdown.

Stating that there was a bid to trigger communal riots in the name of the shutdown and that establishments of Hindus had come under attack and looting on that day, BJP’s national executive member PK Krishnadas said that the NIA should hold a probe into the incidents during shutdown because the State police would not be able to unravel the conspiracy behind it.

State BJP general secretary Sobha Surendran will captain a march on Thursday in Kozhikode demanding an end to the harassment the CPI(M) was allegedly continuing against a woman, who had come under a Marxist attack in January following which she delivered a stillborn baby due to the kick she had suffered in the abdomen from the assailants, and her family.

The police had arrested seven CPI(M) activists for the attack on the woman, 28-year-old Josna Baby of Kodenchery, over some land dispute after she and her family staged a dharna in front of the police station seeking action against the assailants. The Marxists had kicked the woman in the stomach when she was trying to save her husband from their attack.

Sobha Surendran will lead the “March to resist Marxist hunt” from Thamarassery near Kodenchery, the place to which Josna belongs, to Kozhikode demanding justice for the woman. Josna and her husband had come under the attack of the CPI(M) workers led by a branch secretary inside their house on the night of January 28.

State BJP general secretary AN Radhakrishnan will lead a two-day protest march on May 7 and 8 to Varappuzha demanding CBI probe into the murder of party sympathizer Sreejith (26) in police custody. Krishnadas said national leaders would participate in the march apart from top State functionaries.

The march, which will begin at the house of Adivasi youth Madhu, who was beaten to death by a mob in February on the charge of stealing food, in Attappadi in Palakkad district, will be taken out by motor vehicles to Paravur in Ernakulam district and from there it will proceed to Varappuzha as a foot march.

Sreejith, who was taken into custody at midnight April 6 by three officials of the now-disbanded Rural Tiger Force under Superintendent of Police AV George from his house in connection with the suicide of a neighbour, died at a Kochi hospital on April 9 due to the grave internal injuries he had suffered during the torture at the police station at Varappuzha.