The CPM leadership in the district has been put in a spot over controversies surrounding the suicide of CITU worker Ashraff. Even as the party began damage-control measures, Ashraff’s family members are going ahead with complaints.
In addition to filing a complaint before the Kalamassery Police, they have also approached Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan seeking action. The complaints pointed out that he committed had suicide after the party allegedly asked him to surrender before the police in an incident where Thammanam Shaji and his gang were attacked a couple of days back.
Ashraff’s wife Asura told Express that he ran from pillar to post seeking to be excluded from the list. She said till the last day Ashraff was hopeful that his name would be excluded. “He approached many leaders; asking them to remove his name from the list. He was ready to quit his job as headload worker. When he came to know that his name was given, he was quite upset; He used to help others; they were all together like a group. Why was his name included? He simply wanted to live peacefully. Couldn’t they have let him lead a happy life with his family,” Asura asked. An active party worker, Ashraff used to take part in all party activities as per given directions, his mother Kunjathu said.
“His brothers are also party sympathisers. Nobody has ever had any complaints about him,” Kunjathu said.
The relatives pointed out that even after Ashraff’s death, none of the prominent CPM leaders visited the house. “Once some of them came and gave some money. Other than that, no leader came to console us. When we approached party district secretary Dinesh Mani, he asked us to meet him which we didn’t do,” said Ashraff’s brother Aboobacker. In her complaint, Asura had mentioned the names of some leaders allegedly involved in the issue. “He told me these leaders had given his name as the first accused in the case before the Palarivattom police. He had also said in a similar manner that they had earlier included many people in the list of accused, but excluded the name of the real accused,” she said.
There have been allegations that the CPM made a list of those who should surrender before the police in the case.
However Dinesh Mani denied any such move. “It’s true that they approached me with a complaint. But, it’s a petty fight case and why should we ask our activists to surrender before the police? Ashraff was an active party worker. We feel there will be something else behind the incident,” he said.