Kollam: Even as the CPM, which was on the back foot over a recent double murder case in Kasaragod's Periya, alleged that a senior citizen's killing reported from Chithara here was a political murder, his kin insisted he was killed during a spat over tapioca sale. They have come out against the CPM saying his murder was not due to any political issue.
Aftabeevi, the sister of the murdered man Basheer, said the victim and his killer were not political rivals.
The assailant yelled something about tapioca sale before stabbing Basheer, she said.
Rajeena, another relative, too said the victim and the accused had no rivalry at all.
Saturday’s incident in Chithara was a revenge killing for Periya murders, CPM state general secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had said in New Delhi while blaming the Congress for the murder of Basheer.
The Congress had said it would retaliate. CPM will not avenge the killing but we urge the Congress to stop political murders, Kodiyeri reportedly said.
Basheer, a bachelor, was a member of the CPM local branch committee. The CPM has declared a hartal in Chithara Panchayat on Sunday in protest.
On Saturday, Shajahan (63) had stabbed Basheer (72), a resident of Valavupacha, Kollam, following an altercation. Shajahan, who is also an accused in a case of stabbing his own brother, was caught and handed over to the police by locals on Saturday soon after the fatal attack.
Police said Basheer had questioned Shajahan for calling him names. That escalated into verbal abuse between the two. Basheer pelted stones at Shajahan, but was stabbed a while later after walking away from the spot. Basheer was stabbed nine times and succumbed to his injuries at the Taluk Hospital.
He will be buried at the Kanoor Mosque after autopsy, the cops added.
CI VS Pradeep Kumar is leading the probe.
The murders of two Youth Congress workers in Periya last month is suspected to be the handiwork of CPM workers. Kodiyeri was alleging a reprisal for these killings by raking up Basheer's murder.
