Mahe murder planned: Kodiyeri

Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has alleged that the murder of local party leader and former municipal councillor Kannippoyil Babu in Mahe is a planned murder executed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Speaking to reporters after visiting the bereaved family of the slain party worker and the areas hit by violence in and around Mahe on Thursday, he said the RSS was trying to create an impression that the law and order in the State had collapsed. The areas witnessed tension and violence following the twin murders late night on May 7.

Soon after Babu had been hacked to death at Palloor in Mahe allegedly by RSS workers, U.C. Shamej, a local RSS worker, had been murdered at nearby New Mahe in Kannur by suspected CPI(M) workers in retaliation.

Mr. Balakrishnan alleged that the RSS was having a field day in Mahe under the shade of the Puducherry police.

Calling upon the Puducherry Chief Minister to take immediate steps to book the killers of Babu and those involved in the conspiracy, Mr. Balakrishnan alleged that Babu had been murdered a few days after the RSS held a camp at Koothuparamba. The party worker had been murder in a brutal manner as the assailants wanted to sever his head, he said.

While the assailants were said to be still at large in Mahe, the police were not able to arrest them, he said accusing the Mahe police of laxity. Demanding that officers in the present investigating team should be removed, he said the probe should be handed over to a special team.

The CPI(M) State secretary visited the house of a Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) worker in the area whose house had come under attack by alleged CPI(M) workers following the funeral of Babu on May 8. He said the visit was to heal the wounds caused by the twin murders. Workers of rival parties should not face such experiences of violence, he said adding that the BJP and RSS always broke promises made at peace meetings.