Back-to-back gruesome murders of two political activists, belonging to the Popular Front of India and the RSS, within 24 hours in Palakkad district has once again placed Kerala on the edge. The rivalry between the two outfits has claimed a total of five lives in the past six months. The murder of Srinivasan, a former Shareerik Shikshan Pramukh of the Rashtriya Swayam Sangh (RSS), on Saturday is the latest incident in the series of retaliatory killings, spread over the districts of Alappuzha and Palakkad, that began in November 2021 following the murder of Sanjith, an RSS worker.
Srinivasan was murdered by assailants who arrived on three bikes at his office at Melamuri in Palakkad town at around one pm on Saturday. The murder is suspected to in retaliation to the killing of Subair, a PFI functionary on April 15 in the same district. Subair was earlier questioned in the murder of RSS worker Sanjith. The body of murdered PFI functionary Saubair was taken in a procession to Elappully after post-mortem examination at Palakkad district hospital on Saturday. It is around the same time that Sreenivasan was hacked in a nearby area. The BJP and Congress have hit out at the police and state government and alleged that police focused only on providing bandobast for the funeral procession, and ignored the immediate threat to others like Sreenivasan.
Security in Palakkad district has been beefed up in view of the violent incidents. According to reports, a 300-strong battalion of police would be deployed in the district. Additional Director General of Police Vijay Sakhare, who is in charge of law and order, would reach Palakkad on Saturday evening. State police chief AnilKant has informed that strict legal action will be taken against those who spread messages on social media to provoke communal tension.
Sanjith, a Boudhik Pramukh of RSS was murdered on November 15, 2021 in broad daylight in front of his wife. A group of assailants who followed him in a car had rear-ended his bike and then hacked him. Subair, who was killed on the day of Vishu on April 15, too was murdered the same way while returning from mosque after offering prayers with his faher on a bike. He was the area secretary of the PFI.
On December 18, 2021, the state secretary of SDPI, KS Shan was hacked by a group of four at Mannancherry in Alappuzha. Within 24 hours the district reported another murder. Renjith Sreenivasan, state secretary of Kerala OBC Morcha and BJP state committee member, was hacked to death within 12 hours.
Palakkad MLA and Congress leader Shafi Parambi, who condemned the violence said the two organisations should stop the violence immediately. “We know that these murders are cleverly planned and the leaders know about it. Also, what is the job of Kerala police? Are they not ready to take action against conspirators? Why can't the police protect people's lives? Palakkad was a peaceful place. Now terror groups are creating issues and police have turned weak,” Shafi said.