Highlights:
- Following the murder of two political leaders, the Alappuzha district is now under section 144 imposed by the district collector.
- BJP OBC (Other Backward Class) state secretary advocate, Ranjith Sreenivasan was hacked to death in the early hours of Sunday by a gang who barged into his residence
- SDPI state secretary KS Shan on the other hand was knocked down from his bike and stabbed multiple times on Saturday evening.
The Alapuzha district of Kerela has been jolted by the murders of two political dignitaries within a gap of a few hours. Early morning on Sunday, Ranjith Sreenivasan, BJP OBC (Other Backward Class) state secretary was hacked to death. The unfortunate incident took place within a period of a few hours of the killing of KS Shan, state secretary of the Social Democratic Party of India, the political offshoot of the Political Front of India. Shan was shifted to a private hospital in Ernakulam after the attack, where he succumbed to his injuries.
A gang attacked the assembly elections candidate, Sreenivasan early morning on Sunday. Police reported that a gang entered his house while he was getting dressed up for his morning walk and hacked him numerous times.
On the other hand, a second gang had attacked KS Shan on Saturday at around 7:30 pm. Shan was knocked down from his bike by a gang of men who approached him in their car and charged at him. The assailants stabbed him several times following which he was hurried to a nearby private hospital and later to a hospital in Kochi where he passed away at around midnight.
Ahead of the two brutal killings, Alappuzha’s district collector, A Alexander ordered the imposition of Section 144 of CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) in the district for Sunday and Monday. Kerela Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan deplored the alleged murders of the state-level leaders.
Referring to the heinous and inhumane crime, he mentioned that such acts of violence pose a threat to the state. Addressing a press conference, he said that he was confident that people would provide full support in identifying and isolating such groups and the hateful attitudes they hold. The CM assured that stringent action will be taken against the culprits.
G Jaidev, Police Superintendent of the ALapuzzha district said that they are investigating the nature of the killings and trying to determine if they were related or retaliatory.
A few suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the case. Jaidev emphasiszed that the police left no stone unturned to monitor the situation and deployed additional force as well. He added that the district would be under prohibitory orders for two days.
He added that police deployment has been heightened on the campus of Government Medical College in Kochi, where the body of KS Shan (SDPI leader) is kept. SDPI men in large numbers encamped at the premises of the medical college hospital.
