Ibrahimkutty’s death sparks political storm; CPM targets Congress over cooperative deposit row

The fact that Ibrahimkutty set himself ablaze outside Sudheer’s residence in Vadakara has further intensified scrutiny on Congress leaders associated with the cooperative.

Ibrahimkutty Haji Photo | Express

KOZHIKODE: The district Congress leadership is facing mounting political pressure following the death of 71-year-old Ibrahimkutty Haji, with the CPM launching a sharp offensive seeking to directly link senior Congress leaders to the circumstances that allegedly drove the elderly man to take the extreme step.

The tragic case of self-immolation has rapidly evolved into a major political challenge for the party after Ibrahimkutty’s family alleged that he had been struggling for months to recover Rs 75 lakh deposited with the Kadathanad Labour Contract Cooperative Society, of which District Congress Committee (DCC) secretary Sudheer Kumar is an official. The fact that Ibrahimkutty set himself ablaze outside Sudheer’s residence in Vadakara has further intensified scrutiny on Congress leaders associated with the cooperative.

It is murder: Govindan

CPM state secretary M V Govindan escalated the attack by terming the death a “murder” and demanding criminal action against those responsible for creating the circumstances that allegedly pushed Ibrahimkutty towards suicide.

The CPM has also sought to widen the controversy by alleging that prominent Congress and IUML leaders played a key role in mobilising deposits for the cooperative society, encouraging ordinary investors to entrust their savings to the institution.

According to Ibrahimkutty’s family, the elderly man’s frustration over failure to reclaim his money deepened over time and was explicitly mentioned in both the police complaints and his dying declaration.

Govindan, who visited Ibrahimkutty’s residence in Thiruvallur to meet the grieving family, alleged that the cooperative society had mobilised deposits by leveraging the credibility and public support of prominent Congress and IUML leaders. He further alleged that Ibrahimkutty had repeatedly approached society officials and Congress leaders seeking the return of his deposits and the promised interest but received no relief. “This is no suicide. The circumstances that pushed him to this stage amount to murder,” Govindan said.