MALAPPURAM: Police arrested one person on Friday and identified all the other three accused in the murder of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) worker Ishaque, 36, at Anchudi near Tanur, here, on Thursday.
The police said the arrested K.P. Mufees was the brother of CPM leader K.P. Shamsu, who was attacked by IUML workers in March 11 this year. Mr Shamsu returned to life after months-long treatment and is still bed-ridden. The murder was to avenge this attack, the police said.
District police chief U. Abdul Karim had told reporters earlier that the police had identified all the four members of the team. Three of the accused are brothers. It was political as well as personal vendetta, said another police official.
Police feels most of the injuries on Ishaque's body were similar to those on the leg and the hands of Shamsu. There were no injuries on chest.
The statement of Ishaque's brother who gave hints on the accused, all are CPM workers, turned crucial in cracking the case, the police said.
The three-member gang attacked him while he was on his way to the mosque by 8 pm and ran off, the brother had said.
There was tension in the area after many houses were attacked in connection with the Lok Sabha election. Ishaque's wife Arifa had submitted a complaint to Tanur police station in connection with the attack on her house allegedly by CPM workers. The power cut in the area just before the attack on Ishaque also was suspected to be part of the planning, says police.
Meanwhile the hartal protesting against the murder of Ishaque in the coastal region was complete. IUML workers waylaid vehicles and forcibly shut down shops at various towns. The last rites of Ishaque were performed at Muchudi khaberstan here on Friday evening.
