Political murders: Kannur on edge again

Kannur: Stray  incidents of violence occurred in  Mahe and suburbs on Tuesday following the killings of  CPM leader Kannippoyil Babu,  45,  and RSS worker Umbarakkachellayil Shamoj, 41, both natives of Palloor, Mahe, on Monday night. The bodies of Babu  and   Shamoj  were taken out in processions before they were cremated on  Tuesday evening after post-mortem.  The CPM processionists pelted stones at BJP offices and also set ablaze a patrol  jeep of Puduchery police.

Babu was CPM Palloor local committee member and former Mahe municipal councillor. He was killed around 9. 30 p.m. RSS worker Shamoj, an auto driver of the locality,  was hacked about 20 minutes after the attack on Babu. Babu died on the spot  and  Shamoj  on the way to hospital. The police identified eight RSS workers,  including O.P. Rajeesh, Masthan Rajesh, Karikkunnel Suni and Magneesh, involved in the murder of  Babu.  He  was blocked by four people while he tried to enter his home while the other four  hacked him down, according to the FIR. Four persons took part  in the murder of RSS worker Shamoj, the police said.

Babu is survived by his wife Anitha, children Anamika, Anupriya and Anunand. Shamoj leaves his wife Deepa and  son Abinav. The BJP workers protested at Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode,  in the afternoon alleging that the police and hospital authorities were holding up the  body of  Shamoj after conducting post-mortem.    The police has intensified patrolling in   Mahe and Kannur.  

The hartal called by the CPM  was complete. Shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed. Policemen from AR camp have been deployed and special patrolling teams were roped in to check  violence. Raids and vehicle checks have been intensified. CPM Kannur district secretary E.P. Jayarajan asked the police to investigate the links of some RSS leaders in the murder of Babu. He also criticised the killing  of Shamoj.