Palakkad: A 28-year old man, Arun Kumar, who sustained injuries in a clash during a temple festival in a village few days ago, succumbed to his wounds in a hospital in the district on Friday, police said here.
Police said six people have been arrested in connection with the incident that occurred during the festival held at the temple in the Pazhambalakkode village on March 2.
Kumar was an activist of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), BJP leaders said.
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They alleged that Kumar was attacked by activists of the CPI(M) and its youth outfit DYFI.
Rejecting the allegations, the CPI(M) said the party or its allied organisations had no role in the incident.
The police also rejected the allegations that Kumar was a victim of political rivalry and claimed that the victim and one of the accused arrested in connection with the case were relatives.
They said the incident occurred as part of a rivalry between two groups of youths in the locality in connection with the temple festival.
The BJP district leadership alleged that it was a planned murder.
The party also called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the Alathur Taluk and two panchayats--Peringottukurissi and Kottayi -- on Saturday in protest against the killing.
(With inputs from PTI)
