The police have arrested nine people, including five alleged assailants, in connection with the murder of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) State secretary K.S. Shan here.
The arrested assailants were identified as Athul O.S., 27, of Mannancherry, Vishnu K., 28, of Aryad, Dhanesh D., 25, of Aryad, Abhimanyu K.U., 27, of Mararikulam South, and Sanand K.U., 36, of Mannancherry.
Their arrests were recorded on Saturday. They were arrested by a team led by Alappuzha Crime Branch Deputy Superintendent of Police V. Benny. The police said all five arrested were Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh/Bharatiya Janata Party activists or sympathisers.
Besides, the police on Sunday recorded the arrest of four others in connection with the case. They were Pranav P.V., 28, and Sreeraj P.K., 30, both from Mannancherry, Suresh, alias Sudheesh, 49, and Umesh, 27, the duo hailing from Thrikkur in Thrissur.
Pranav and Sreeraj helped the killer gang identify Shan. Suresh and Umesh were booked for harbouring the killer gang.
Shan was attacked by assailants at Kuppezham Junction in Mannancherry in Alappuzha around 7.30 p.m. on December 18. He succumbed to injuries around 11.30 p.m. He was heading home on his motorcycle when a car knocked him down. A group of persons came out of the car and attacked him.
The police have so far arrested 14 people in connection with the murder. The other five were Rajendraprasad, alias Prasad, 39, of Mannancherry, Ratheesh, alias Kuttan, 31, of Mararikulam South, Akhil, 30, of Cherthala, Maneesh, 33, and Sanalkumar, 39, both from Cherthala South.
Following the murder of the SDPI leader, a gang hacked Ranjith Sreenivas, BJP’s OBC Morcha State secretary, to death in his house at Vellakinar in Alappuzha municipality on December 19 morning.
The police suspect the killing was a retaliatory strike. The police have so far arrested five SDPI activists in connection with the killing of the BJP leader.
