The police on Monday arrested two persons in connection with the murder of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) State secretary K.S. Shan.
The arrested have been identified as Prasad alias Aandi Prasad of Mannancherry and Ratheesh of Mararikulam South. They are Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists. The police said that the duo had actively participated in the conspiracy to kill Shan. Prasad had hatched the plot, arranged attackers and a vehicle, said an official
Shan was attacked by a gang at Kuppezham Junction in Mannancherry in Alappuzha around 7.30 p.m. on Saturday night. He succumbed to his injuries around 11.30 p.m. Following the murder of the SDPI leader, a gang hacked Ranjith Sreenivas, BJP OBC morcha State secretary, to death in his house at Vellakinar in Alappuzha Municipality, on Sunday morning.
A special investigation team led by Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order, Vijay Sakhare is probing the twin political murders. Mr. Sakhare said that the police had identified a total of 10 people involved in the murder of Shan and efforts were on to nab the rest eight accused. At least 12 people were involved in the murder of Sreenivas. The police were also probing the conspiracy angle, the ADGP said.
Meanwhile, an all-party meeting scheduled to take place at Alappuzha District Collectorate on Monday afternoon to defuse political tension in the district has been postponed. The meeting will now be held on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Earlier, BJP leaders informed of their inconvenience to attend the meeting due to the funeral of Sreenivas. The BJP alleged disrespect to the slain leader's body.
