Days of unrest return: DGP Loknath Behera terms twin murders pre-planned
Kannur: The twin murders that shocked Payyannur late on Monday night were pre-planned, according to DGP Loknath Behera. However, it could not be confirmed whether there were any political motives behind the two murders, he told DC. “In the first case, where a CPM worker was killed, the attackers were waiting for the man to arrive at his house before the murder. In the second case also, the family was sleeping in the house when the BMS worker was attacked and killed. It is clear that these murders were pre-planned,” said the DGP.
He added that giving a political angle to the murders would be premature. However, North Zone ADGP Sudesh Kumar hinted at political rivalry behind the murders as the victims had no personal rivalry between them. The ADGP added that the culprits were yet to be located.
Violence upsets Payyannur
Violence spread in areas around Payyannur on Tuesday after two persons were killed allegedly due to political rivalry. One CPM worker and one BMS worker were killed late on Monday night. BMS worker C.K. Ramachandran, 52, a native of Annoor, was hacked reportedly in retaliation for the murder of C.V. Dhanaraj, 38, of Karanthattu.
The autorickshaw of C.K. Ramachandran was smashed by the miscreants
Mr Dhanaraj was CPM village secretary and branch committee member. Mr Ramachandran, an auto driver, was BMS Payyannur zonal president. A group of masked men attacked Mr Dhanaraj following him on bikes and stabbed him at his house. Within hours, Mr Ramachandran’s house was attacked with crude bombs, and later, he was hacked. Both of them were taken to nearby hospitals, but their lives could not be saved.
Nearly ten houses, belonging to CPM and BJP workers, were attacked in Payyannur on Tuesday, including the home of Yuva Morcha district president Arun Kumar. Vehicles and shops were also gutted in the violence that followed the twin murder. Nearly 200 police officers are camping in the area led by district police chief Sanjay Kumar Gurudin.
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the BJP was trying to create an impression that the district is disturbed during the rule of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. However, BJP national secretary H. Raja said in Kozhikode that the CPM felt they could threaten their political opponents through violence. “The BJP will not remain a silent spectator,” he added.
