KOCHI: On Sunday, hundreds of SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India) activists gathered at Kalamassery medical college where the autopsy of party state secretary KS Shan, who was hacked to death at Alappuzha on Saturday night, took place.
Kochi police was put on high alert since Saturday night after Shan, who was rushed to a private hospital in city, breathed his last at 11.30pm.
The body was soon moved to Kalamassery medical college for autopsy proceedings which began on Sunday morning. Police personnel were deployed in areas of the district sharing border with Alappuzha, where Section 144 was declared soon after the back-to-back murders within a few hours.
Police teams were deployed at main junctions as well to conduct vehicle checking to avoid further escalation.
Workers of SDPI from across central Kerala had come to the hospital in vans and cars which were seen lined-up along the road leading up to the hospital. Over a thousand workers were waiting outside the gates of the medical college while a few others were waiting near the mortuary where the proceedings were going on.
Party leaders, who worked closely with the slain leader for years, said that Shan was a popular figure among the public and was actively involved in charity work, including relief work, during floods.
“Shan has been a part of the leadership in the party for over 12 years. Before that, we were both in the state leadership of Campus Front. He contested in legislative assembly polls and tried his luck for a Lok Sabha seat from here. He was the SDPI’s district president. He was a popular person who was widely loved by the people,” said PK Usman, state general secretary of SDPI.
Usman said that even recently when rains wreaked havoc in Koottickal Shan was at the forefront to coordinate relief works here.
Usman said that the murder came as a shock to them as there was no political tension in the area that could have led to such an attack. He alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the incident and claimed that the RSS was behind the attack.
“At Mannancherry, where the attack happened, he has done exemplary work for growing the party. A few wards were captured in the local body by the party under his leadership. This has obviously upset other movements like BJP,” said Usman.
The body of Shan was taken to Alappuzha from the medical college at 2pm. Hundreds raised slogans as the ambulance carrying the body left the hospital premises. Workers in several vehicles accompanied the ambulance. Police teams, including Ernakulam Rural ASP, accompanied the vehicles.
“Attacking the state leader of a political party is unheard of in Kerala. We believe that Shan, a popular leader, was targeted to create a sense of fear across the state. SDPI is a law-abiding organization, and we would go forward with the legal fight on the issue,” said Usman.
