RSS worker murder: BJP observes hartal, asks Kerala CM to explain violence

Thrissur: Shops and business establishments have downed shutters and vehicles are mostly off the roads in Guruvayur and Manaloor towns in Thrissur district following a hartal called by BJP to protest the killing of an RSS worker at Nenmeni.

The 23-year-old RSS worker, Anandan, was hacked to death allegedly by CPI(M) workers on Sunday in broad day light.

While the BJP has blamed CPI(M) for the murder, the marxist party in a statement on Sunday denied its role in the incident.

This is the third murder of BJP/RSS workers in the district since the Pinarayi Vijayan government came to power in May last year, a BJP leader had alleged.

Anandan, hailing from Brahmakulam, was an accused in a case relating to the murder of a CPI(M) worker in 2013.

The funeral is expected to be held this afternoon. The BJP is also observing a protest throughout the state against the gory incident.

BJP national president Amit Shah on Sunday lashed out at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan following the attack and asked what his government was doing to "curb criminal elements" in the ranks of his CPI(M).

"The continuous violence by CPM workers and the protection to such political killings is now before the nation. CM Pinarayi must explain what his govt is doing to curb criminal elements in his rank(sic)," Shah tweeted.

The BJP has alleged that as many as 120 of its workers, 84 in Kannur alone, have been killed in Kerala since 2001. It has claimed that 14 of these killings have taken place since Pinarayi Vijayan took over the reins of the government last year.

Shah undertook a 15-day 'Jan Raksha Yatra' in Kerala last month to target the state's CPI(M) government over a "killing spree" against BJP and RSS workers.