The recent back-to-back political murders in Palakkad district that shocked Kerala were in the nature of terrorist activity, state Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty said on Monday. He was addressing media after an all-party meet convened by the government to reinstate peace in the district. The BJP boycotted the meet, held at Palakkad collectorate, terming it a sham.
The minister said steps will be taken to ensure that such incidents do not repeat. He said district administration will initiate talks with stakeholders and reinstate peace in the district. Krishnankutty represents Chittur assembly constituency in Palakkad.
Asked about BJP leaders walking out of the meet, the minister said one cannot do anything if someone comes to a meet having decided to boycott it. The meet was called following the back-to-back murders of two activists of the RSS and SDPI in Palakkad district. BJP state general secretary C Krishnakumar and district president K M Haridas walked out of the meeting chaired by state minister K Krishnankutty saying it was just a sham.
The BJP said the police were totally responsible for the murder of RSS activist Sreenivasan.
Coming out of the meeting mid-way, Haridas said the CPM-led Left government did not bother to make any attempt to reinstate peace in the district after the murder of RSS activist Sanjith in the district six months ago. “Nine accused in the case are yet to be nabbed,” he said.
The BJP leader said leaders of his party were being picked from the house following the twin murders but nobody has been arrested for the murder of Sreenivasan. “Not even a single person has been arrested even 48 hours after Sreenivasan was murdered.” Haridas said.
“Thee statements issued by the government and the police are not at all satisfactory,” he said.
Krishnakumar expressed doubts over the police's decision to withdraw by 4 pm on the Vishu day the personnel deployed at Elampully to prevent any untoward incident following the murder of SDPI activist Subair the previous day.
The government called the all-party meet after the back-to-back murders disrupted the peaceful atmosphere in the district.
Subair was killed at Elappully on Friday by RSS workers and in alleged retaliation, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activists hacked to death former RSS pracharak Sreenivasan (45) on Saturday.
The probe into the attacks is being coordinated by ADGP Vijay Sakhare, who is camping in Palakkad. "We have formed five police teams to investigate the two cases. Some vital clues have been obtained into the murders, which were planned in an elaborate manner," he said.
At the same time, the ADGP denied lapses on the part of the police as he said, "preventing such murders is not easy." The police have taken into custody three people directly involved in Subair murder.
