MALAPPURAM: Eight RSS workers were arrested on Sunday by the Tirurangadi police in connection with the murder of Faisal Pullani, a Muslim convert, in Kodinhi a week ago. The arrested were identified as Pullani Vinod (39), Pullani Sajeesh (32), Pulikkal Haridasan (30), Pulikkal Dineshan (39), Chanath Suni (39), Kalathil Preadeep (32), Thayyil Lijesh (27) and Kottayil Jayaprakash (50). They will be produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court at Parappanangadi on Monday, Police said. Three more men who executed the murder plot are yet to be arrested.
Faisal, 32, who embraced Islam in May, was hacked to death on the street in Kodinhi Farook Nagar in the wee hours of November 19 while he was going to Tanur railway station. All the arrested were involved in conspiracy and provided help to the the killers to finish off Faisal. Police said that Vinod, the brother-in- law of Faisal and one of the prime accused in the case, sought help from the other accused at various occasions for the murder.
According to police, Vinod first sought help from the local RSS and BJP leaders Haridasan, Sajeesh and Suni to prevent conversions in his family. These men later sought the help of senior leaders of these organisations in Parappanangadi.
They had tried to prevent Faisal’s wife from converting with promises but she rejected stood by her decision. The accused then handed over murder plan to three-member gang for the final execution. The police have not traced this three- member gang so far.
