2 RSS activists in Kerala arrested for SDPI leader Shan murder; car found abandoned at Kanichukulangara

SDPI state secretary KS Shan was buried in a khabaristan near his residence on Sunday evening after his body was kept for public viewing.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

ALAPPUZHA: The police on Monday recorded the arrest of two RSS activists who were taken into custody in connection with the murder of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) state secretary K S Shan. 

The arrested have been identified as Prasad alias Andi Prasad, 37, of Mannancherry and Ratheesh alias Kochukuttan, 31, of Mararikulam South, both in the Alappuzha district.

The police said that the duo had actively participated in the conspiracy to kill Shan. Prasad had hatched the plot, arranged attackers, and hired a vehicle. The car which carried the killer gang was found abandoned at a parking area near Kanichukulangara temple near Cherthala.

Maruti Swift Dzire car with Ernakulam registration number was taken on rent for the murder operation, police said. The car is owned by one Vishnu, who is running a car rental business in Ernakulam. Prasad who took the car on rent handed over the vehicle to Ratheesh who in turn provided it to the attackers. A scientific team from the police department collected fingerprints and other evidence from the car.

ADGP Vijay Sakhare, who is heading a special investigation team probing the twin murders, said that the police have identified all the persons involved in the murder of the SDPI leader Shan, besides arresting the two persons. “A total of 10 persons are involved in the murder of Shan and efforts were on to nab the remaining eight accused. At least 12 people were involved in the murder of Renjith. The police are also probing the conspiracy angle,” the ADGP said.

Meanwhile, an all-party meeting that was scheduled to take place at Alappuzha District Collectorate on Monday afternoon was postponed after the protest from BJP leaders. They boycotted the meeting saying the timing of the meeting coincided with the final rites service of its leader Renjith.

Later the district collector postponed the meeting to Tuesday at 4 pm. The BJP also alleged disrespect to the slain leader's body. The postmortem was delayed and the body was placed in a mortuary without a freezer, the BJP workers alleged.

Renjith’s body was brought to his house at Vellakinar in Alappuzha municipality and later to Valiyazheekkal, where his ancestral home is situated. The funeral will be held there in the evening. No arrests have been recorded yet in the murder of Renjith.

Shan was attacked by a gang at Kuppezham Junction in Mannancherry in Alappuzha around 7.30 pm on Saturday night. He succumbed to his injuries around 11.30 pm. Following the murder of the SDPI leader, a gang hacked Renjith Sreenivasan, BJP OBC Morcha State secretary, to death in his house at Vellakinar in Alappuzha Municipality, on Sunday morning.

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