Thiruvananthapuram: Seven persons have been arrested in connection with the murders of two DYFI unit functionaries at Thempammoodu near Venjarammoodu in Thiruvananthapuram district on the night of the Uthradam day on Sunday.
The murders were a result of political animosity and the accused are Congress activists, said the remand report of the police.
DYFI Vembayam Thevalakkad unit joint secretary Mithilaj (30), of Safiul Nizam Manzil in Thevalakkad, and DYFI Perumala Kalunkinmukham unit secretary Haque Mohammad (24), of Bismi Manzil in Kalunkinmukham, were attacked by a gang of armed men on Saturday night.
While Mithilaj died on the spot, Haque Mohammad breathed his last on the way to the hospital.
The duo was attacked when they were returning home on a motorbike, by a gang that was laying in wait for them. Shahin, who was with the victims, escaped the attack with injuries. A CCTV camera has captured the attack. Mithilaj and Haque Mohammad were the main breadwinners of their families.
Not linked to murders, CBI should investigate: Congress
The Congress had nothing to do with the double murders at Venjaramoodu and the crime was a result of violence between two groups, KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran has said. He demanded that the investigation in the case should be handed over to the CBI.
An impartial and thorough investigation is needed when attempts are being made to portray the murders as a political crime.
The Congress has no faith in the inquiry of officials obedient to the chief minister. The KPCC strongly condemns this tragic incident. The Congress is not a party that promotes violence. Mullappally said violence was the CPM's style.
The CPM is trying to spread the 'Kannur model' of violence to the capital under the leadership of the Home minister. They are interested in celebrating the deaths and collecting party funds by calling those dead martyrs.
The CPM sees the double murders as a fortuitous opportunity and its leadership is planning to unleash widespread violence in the name of the crime. Youth Congress activists who went on a hunger strike in front of the PSC headquarters were attacked without provocation. The CPM is unleashing violence against the more than 100 Congress offices across the state, Mullappally said.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has said that the culprits of the double murders should be brought to justice and that the Congress is not a party that protects killers.
The CPM is turning the incident into a political weapon to unleash violence in the state, he said.
There is a common nature to the state-wide violence perpetrated by the CPM in the name of the double murders, Congress working committee member Oommen Chandy said. It feels like the violence is being committed at someone's behest.
Violence against INC offices
There was widespread violence against Congress offices in many parts of the state on the Thiruvonam day on Monday after the killing of the two DYFI unit leaders in Venjaramoodu.
The block Congress office in Venjaramoodu was attacked. The DCC offices in Kollam and Ernakulam were also attacked. Various constituency offices in Kannur, Thrissur, Palakkad, Idukki, Kottayam and Alappuzha districts also came under attack. The flagpoles were also destroyed.
DYFI activists hurled stones at Youth Congress leaders and activists who were on a hunger strike in front of the PSC headquarters. The two groups then clashed with stones and chairs. The stones were hurled by about 50 DYFI activists organised by local leaders.
The clash happened moments after Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala left the venue. The Youth Congress agitation alleged that the PSC's attitude led to the suicide of a candidate who was unemployed despite making it to a PSC rank list.
MLAs M Vincent, Shafi Parampil and K S Sabrinathan were present on the occasion. The few policemen who were present at the scene could not stop the violence.
The DYFI activists, who protested by sitting on the road, later dispersed. More police personnel arrived at the spot and arrested and removed the Congress leaders, including the MLAs.
The traffic at the agitation location through the National Highway was diverted for a while.
Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the DGP and the commissioner had been informed about the possibility of but the police conspired with those who attacked the Congress leaders.
The police stopped the DYFIs who tried to forcibly enter the official residence of Ramesh Chennithala.
The protest tent set up by the Youth Congress near the Karakonam residence of Anu, who committed suicide out of frustration over not getting a PSC job, was demolished.
In the Thiruvananthapuram district, Congress offices at Vembayam, Karavaram, Venjaramoodu, Vattiyoorkavu, Peroorkada, Kadakampally, Kudappanakunnu, Valiyasala, Kattakada, Mudakkal, Pettah, Thottakkad and Attingal were attacked. The monuments of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi at Parashala, Gaurishapattam, Palkulangara, Nedumangad and Pappanamkode Estates were destroyed. The Vembayam Congress constituency committee held a hartal to protest against the attack on the offices. Protests also took place in various other places.