Akash Thillankeri claims he got quotation' from DYFI leaders

Kozhikode: The statement of Akash Thillankeri, arrested by police in connection with the murder of S.P. Shuhaib in Kannur, has put CPM on the defensive. He had revealed that it was local DYFI leaders who gave the quotation to him to kill the Youth Congress leader. 

"They told me that party would protect me as CPM is holding the home portfolio," he said in the statement.  
It was assured that the party would provide "a dummy list of accused" to police and they would surrender and that the police would not probe much if party ensures the surrenders.

CPM district secretary P. Jayarajan, meanwhile, confirmed that Akash was a party member and also a member of its cyberwarriors.

However, Congress leaders maintain the man is "a dummy". Citing the statement of Noushad, a Youth Congress worker seriously injured in the attack, they insist that he was not in the killer squad.     

Mr Naushad said though they had covered the face, the physique of the two assassins who hacked down the young man was different from that of Akash.