Taliparamba MLA receives death threat a day after targeting CPM leadership

Kannur: A day after Taliparamba MLA T K Govindan blamed the CPM state leadership, particularly Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, for the LDF's electoral debacle, he allegedly received a death threat over the phone.

The caller reportedly abused the MLA and threatened to set prison inmates on him. Govindan (75), the most senior member of the CPM's Kannur district secretariat, had quit the party ahead of the Assembly election and contested as an independent with UDF backing.

The Mayyil police have registered a case under Sections 296(b) (obscene acts) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act for creating nuisance.

The call was received around 4 pm on Friday on the MLA's phone. As Govindan was attending a function, the call was answered by his private assistant, Jayan P V.

"The caller said the MLA's journey would end soon and that those who are now in jail would take care of him," Jayan said. He alleged that the caller then unleashed a torrent of abusive and obscene remarks against Govindan and Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala.

Jayan further alleged that the caller repeatedly threatened the MLA and attempted to intimidate him. "Going by the accent, he appeared to be from around the Thiruvambady area of Kozhikode," he said.

The threat came a day after Govindan, along with Payyanur MLA V Kunhikrishnan, publicly challenged the CPM leadership's explanation for the election setback. Addressing a press conference on June 11, the two leaders rejected attempts to pin the blame only on the party's Kannur district committee, arguing that the controversial candidate selections in Taliparamba and Payyanur had been imposed by the state leadership despite opposition from local party units.

Police sources said the mobile number from which the call originated remains active.