IDUKKI: Police on Tuesday arrested one more person in connection with the murder of Dheeraj Rajendran, an SFI student activist at the Government Engineering College in Painavu in Idukki.
Police arrested Jerin Jojo, a resident of Idukki and the Youth Congress's Idukki mandalam vice president. Jerin was taken into custody by the cops on Monday following the murder. According to the police, Jerin has admitted his involvement in the crime and his arrest was recorded on Tuesday morning. He has been charged with an attempt to murder and unlawful assembly.
With this, the arrest of three persons has been recorded. Police are also questioning four more KSU workers, who are suspected to be involved in the crime.
On Monday, the cops arrested Nikhil Paily, 31, a resident of Maniyarankudi and Youth Congress Vazhathope mandalam president, for his involvement in the murder of the 21-year-old Dheeraj. Nikhil is the key accused in the crime. The third person arrested in the murder is Alex Rafael, KSU union secretary at the college. He's a third-year B-Tech student and a native of Kochi. He was held by the police from Paravur.
Nikhil had confessed to the crime and the duo will be produced at the court later on Tuesday. As per the FIR filed by the cops, the murder took place due to political vengeance.
However, the police expect the involvement of more persons in the crime and a probe is on to find them. The attack was triggered during the college union elections on Monday.
Dheeraj, a seventh-semester student at the Government Engineering College, Painavu, was killed in a clash between SFI workers and KSU and Youth Congress workers. Two other students A S Amal and Abhijith T Sunil, both SFI activists, were also injured in the attack.
Meanwhile, Dheeraj’s autopsy was held at the Idukki Medical College Hospital on Tuesday morning. As per the post mortem report, Dheeraj died of a deep stab injury on his chest. His body will be taken to the CPM district committee offices in Idukki, Thodupuzha, Moovattupuzha, Perumbavoor, Anagamali, Thrissur, Tirur, Kozhikode, Vadakara, Taliparamba and Palakulangara on Tuesday for the public to pay homage.
Senior CPM leaders including former minister and Udumbanchola MLA M M Mani, water resources minister Roshy Augustine and CPM district secretary C V Varghese visited the hospital on Tuesday morning.
Police have arranged high security across the state to avoid any untoward incident in the wake of Dheeraj’s murder. Engineering College principal M J Jalaja said that the college will remain closed until further notice is issued in this regard.