ALAPPUZHA : While the probe and trial of the Ranjith Sreenivas murder have been completed pretty fast, the trial of the case relating to SDPI leader K S Shan’s murder — which happened 12 hours before Ranjith was hacked — is moving at a snail’s pace.
Shan, 38, was attacked at Kuppezham Junction in Mannancherry, Alappuzha, around 7.30pm on December 18, 2021. He died around 11.30pm. The SDPI leader was heading home on his motorcycle when a car rear-ended the two-wheeler. A group of persons came out of the car and attacked him with iron rods and other weapons. The police team arrested 13 persons — all RSS activists — involved in the murder. They are out on bail now.
While the trial in the Ranjith murder case started early, the government appointed a public prosecutor for the Shan murder case only a few weeks ago.
RSS activists hatched the murder in retaliation to the murder of Nandu Krishna of Vayalar, Alappuzha, on February 24, 2021, said the remand report.
SDPI state president Muvattupuzha Ashraf Moulavi had earlier alleged that the LDF government had a biased stance in the two murder cases.
“The state government should clarify whether they are following the stance of the NDA government at the Centre which delivers justice considering the caste and community of the accused. The delay in the trial and the RSS activists getting bail are creating such doubts,” Moulavi said in Alappuzha.
Though the police have submitted a chargesheet before the Alappuzha Additional District and Sessions Court-III in the Shan murder case, the court proceedings are yet to gain momentum.