Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said the attack on CPM rebel leader C. O. T. Nazeer in Vadkara was an isolated incident. The Chief Minister told Assembly that A.N. Shamsheer MLA's name did not figure in Nazeer's statement.
However, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala slammed the Chief Minister's stand alleging complete breakdown of law and order in many parts of the state.
The Chief Minister said on the basis of the statement given by Nazeer, Thalassery police registered a case under IPC section 341,324,307, 34 and initiated investigations. Based on the preliminary probe, section 120 (B) and 212 were also added subsequently.
The accused in the case Aswanth K, Sojith K of Ponniyam West were arrested on May 25. Another accused Vishwas was taken into custody on June 5.
Mr Vijayan said the first and second accused in the case Sreejan and Roshan respectively surrendered before the Thalassery judicial first class magistrate court on June 7. They have been remanded by the court.
The Chief Minister said the police had taken steps to seek the custody of Roshan and Sreejan for carrying out further investigations into the case. Besides, Vipin alias Britto, Jithesh alias Jitthu and Moideen alias Moidu have filed anticipatory bail application before the Thalassery court.
Nazeer's 161 statement was recorded in person by police three times . The investigating officers read out all three statements apprising him about the contents. The Chief Minister said there was no change in the investigation team and the probe will continue under Thalassery police inspector.
On Kasargod periya twin murder case, Mr Vijayan said 14 accused had been arrested in connection with the murder of Kripesh and Sharathlal. There have been no political murders in Vadakara area in recent days.
The Chief Minister said it was unfortunate that such isolated incidents were being used for vested political interests. The investigations into these cases are going on in an effective manner and the situation didn't warrant a discussion by suspending the proceedings of House.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala lashed out at the Chief Minister for justifying murderous attacks. The brutal manner, in which Nazeer was hacked, was caught in camera and aired by channels. The incident has put the CPM in a tight spot.
Chennithala said instead of taking action against the criminals the government was trying to shield them. He said the CPM was not ready to change its murder politics. The CPM was behind in most murders that took place in the state recently; Shuhaib, Shukkoor, Kripesh, Sharath Lal.
He alleged that as many as 30 political murders had taken place since the LDF government came to power in 2016 and the chief minister says everything was peaceful in the state. Chennithala led opposition walk out in protest against chief minister's failure to act against those behind political murders.
