CPM activist Shajahan murder: SIT nabs all 8 accused, arrest likely today

The police team probing the murder of local CPM leader Shajahan in Palakkad has nabbed all the eight accused named in the first information report (FIR). The police are likely to record the arrest of those in custody on Wednesday, Manorama News reported.

District Police Chief R Viswanath had on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of two accused. Naveen and Sidharthan were taken into custody on Monday night. Police said one was directly involved in the crime and the other helped the former.

The remaining six were nabbed from various hideouts by the special investigation team. Some of the accused had fled to Tamil Nadu soon after the crime, but returned to Kerala then.

The investigation team has found CCTV footage of the accused gathering at a bar in Palakkad town on the day of the murder. A 20-member team headed by Palakkad DySP V K Raju is investigating the murder.

Shahjahan, a CPM local committee member at Kunnangadu, was hacked to death by a bike-borne gang at Marutha Road on Sunday night. His relatives have alleged that he had received threats from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) members.

His killers are BJP members who were earlier CPM activists, they added.

Shahjahan’s brother-in-law claimed the murder was carried out with the knowledge of the BJP leadership.

Meanwhile, Shahjahan’s mother S Sulekha said her son was killed by those who used to accompany him frequently. “I never expected my son to be betrayed like this,” she said.

Indicating it was a planned crime, Shahjahan’s friend Musthafa said he received a WhatsApp message warning that the CPM worker would be killed on August 15.

Musthafa said Naveen, who lives near his house, had sent the message.

The FIR states that political factors led to the murder. However, the Palakkad District Police Chief had earlier claimed that it could not be termed a political murder.

The murder on the eve of Independence Day has triggered a political controversy with the CPM alleging RSS-BJP hands behind the crime, even as opposition parties and some top Left leaders refused to make such claims stating it was premature to conclude so.

The BJP has refuted the charges against its activists.