Kannur: Bombs were hurled at a house in Pinarayi here on Friday, mere metres from the residence of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
It is here that Nijil Das (38), an RSS leader and accused in the murder of the CPM activist Punnol Haridasan was arrested earlier in the day.
PM Reshma (42), a teacher and wife of the house-owner Prashant who harboured the murder accused was also arrested.
Nijil was arrested from the locked house hardly 200 metres from Vijayan's house at Pandyala Mukk.
It is believed that Parakandi native Das was hiding here for the past two months. Someone likely brought him food, police said.
Police said two bombs were hurled at the house shortly after the news of the arrest was out.
The walls and tiles of the house were damaged in the bombing. The windows of the house were also smashed.
Pinarayi is an area where the police maintain heavy security even when Vijayan is not in town.
Local CPM unit denies involvement
The local CPM unit has maintained that it has nothing to do with the bomb attack at the house.
CPM Pinarayi branch secretary Kakkoth Rajan said the attack was likely only a natural emotional response.
Nijil, who was absconding for the past two months, was an accused in the murder of a CPM activist.
Pinarayi, home to the current Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is a CPM bastion.
On the accused having stayed mere metres from the CM's residence here, an area with increased security all year round, the CPM leader said the party has nothing to be ashamed about.
Sheltered by CPM supporters?
Incidentally, the house owner Prashant, who works abroad, is also a CPM supporter, Manorama News reported.
Apparently, it was his wife Reshma who arranged the accommodation for Das.
Police believe that Das had moved into the house on April 17.
Reshma, who lives in another house with her children, was remanded in custody for sheltering a murder accused.
The murder
CPM activist Haridasan, a fisherman, was hacked to death in front of his house when returning from New Mahe in mid-February.
The party's Kannur district secretary MV Jayarajan had said then that the murder was carried out with the full knowledge of the RSS leadership here.
Not long later, a group of RSS-BJP activists were arrested in connection with the murder.
BJP Thalassery Block President and municipal councillor K Lijesh was also among those arrested.
Nijil, the 14th accused in the case, was produced in court on Saturday and remanded in custody, the police said.
Two more people are yet to be arrested in connection with the case, the police added.
