The police on Friday detained five persons in connection with the murder of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) State secretary K.S. Shan.
The five were directly involved in the murder. Officials said their arrest would be recorded on Friday night or Saturday. While three persons were taken into custody from Thuravoor, two were nabbed from Kuttanad.
The police, meanwhile, recorded the arrest of ambulance driver Akhil, 30, of Cherthala. The accused helped the killer gang to escape in an ambulance. Sources said the statements given by Akhil led the police to the killer gang.
Shan was attacked by assailants at Kuppezham Junction at Mannancherry in Alappuzha around 7.30 p.m. on Saturday night. He succumbed to his 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.
Following the murder of the SDPI leader, a gang hacked to death Ranjith Sreenivas, BJP OBC Morcha State secretary, in his house at Vellakinar in Alappuzha municipality. The police suspect the killing was a retaliatory strike.
