ALAPPUZHA: Cherthala police on Friday arrested 16 accused including three classmates in the Anandhu murder that took place at Neelimangalm near Vayalar late in the night on Wednesday. Y.R. Restum, DySP, said that all the accused were workers of the RSS. Three of them are juveniles. Six accused were produced before the Cherthala Magistrate Court and remanded to judicial custody. The rest will be produced before the court by Saturday. The ones that have been remanded are Athul, 19, Parezhathu, Sangeeth, 19, Chakkuvaly, Ananthu, 20, Karanthodu, Rahul, 20, Puthiyekkal, Midhun, 19, Venthambil and Harikrishnan, 23, Vishnu Nivas. All are natives of Vayalar panchayat. RSS members got involved in the case after classmates of Anandhu sought help following an altercation with him on a love affair.
Anandhu (Nandu- 17), son of Ashokan, Kalappurackal Nikarthil house, ward 10, Pattanakkad panchayat was allegedly murdered by the gang when he was returning home after attending the festival of Raja Rajeswari temple, Neelimangalam near Vayalar. He was invited to a remote area near Neelimangalam temple by the gang and kicked to death. He is a plus two student of Rama Varma Higher Secondary school Vayalar. CI V.P. Mohanlal said issues related to the campus led to the brutal murder. Some of the outsiders including a few accused had misbehaved with the girls of the school. Anandhu and his friends objected to it. Clashes had occurred as a result a few months ago and the school authorities settled it.
On Wednesday, the gang planned the attack and a member invited Anandhu and his friends for settlement talks. When they reached the spot, the gang allegedly unleashed an attack. His friends escaped from the scene and informed neighbours, and the gang fled. But a search carried out by the locals led to finding Anandhu lying unconscious near the paddy field. He was rushed to Cherthala taluk hospital where he was declared brought dead, said the CI. The hartal called by the LDF and the UDF in the district was total and peaceful. KSRTC and private buses conducted services. Shops and offices were partially closed, but those that were open were allowed to function.
