THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KANNUR: Kerala Police today rejected charges that the real culprits had not been booked in the killing of a Youth Congress functionary and claimed two CPI(M) workers were arrested on the basis of clear evidence about their involvement in the crime.
M V Akash and Rejin Raju have been arrested last night in connection with the killing of Shuhaib, the Mattanur block Youth Congress secretary in Kannur on February 13.
"The accused were flushed out from their hideouts and are involved in the crime", Northern Range DGP Rajesh Dewan told reporters in Kannur.
The arrests were made only after police was convinced that the two, who are CPI(M) workers, were involved in the crime, he said.
"It was not surrender. It is absolutely arrest from the spot", he said replying to a query if the two had surrendered.
The arrest was on the basis of clear evidence against them and the two, who are hardened criminals, have a direct role in the murder, the official claimed denying charges that "dummy accused" had been arrested while the real ones had escaped.
The real motive behind the murder, the role of those who have been taken into custody and various levels of conspiracy in the killing were all being investigated, he said.
"The police will arrest only the real culprits, no matter how much time it may take," he said.
The vehicle and weapons used during the crime had not yet been seized, he said, adding there was no political pressure on them. The investigation was on the right path, Dewan said.
CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan maintained that the party had nothing to do with the brutal incident. If party workers have any role, stringent action would be taken against them, he said.
Dewan said there was no pressure on his officers with regard to the case.
"We are only answerable to rule of law and laid down rules of the Constitution.There are more accused in the case who would be soon nabbed," he said, adding whether the murder was a spur of the moment action or previous enmity, would be known only after the investigation was over.
On the statement of the victim's father that police had not taken the family's statement, Dewan said the police had recorded his statement.
"The element of politics will come given that he (Shuhaib) is a Congress worker. They will make a hue and cry that is understood", the police official said.
Meanwhile, the Congress today stepped up its pressure on the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF government by launching two protests in Kannur and Thiruvananthapuram seeking a thorough probe into the killing of Shuhaib.
While former MP and party leader K Sudhakaran began his 48 hour strike in front of the Kannur district collectorate, Youth Congress President Deen Kuriakose began an indefinite "satyagraha" in front of the Secretariat in the state capital.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has demanded an impartial inquiry into the killing and asked the state government should bring all the accused to book.
Slamming the ruling CPI(M), Chennithala said both "red and saffron terror" have to be opposed with the same intensity.
He alleged that the "silence" of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other CPI(M) leaders has led to the current situation.
Sudhakaran also sought the intervention of CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury to bring the culprits to justice.
In a letter to Yechury, he alleged that Vijayan, as the Chief Minister had "failed" to perform constitutional duties.
"Vijayan is functioning as a party secretary even after becoming the Chief Minister", Sudhakaran said.
Meanwhile, Kerala DGP Loknath Behra said a Special Investigation Team led by I G Mahipal Yadav would investigate the killing of Shuhaib.
In a related development, the government, in an effort to end the alleged political killings, has called a peace meeting at Kannur on February 21.