Kasaragod: Kerala Minister E Chandrasekharan's visit to the houses of Periya murder victims Kripesh and Sharathlal has kicked up a row. He was accompanied by CPI district secretary Govindan Pallikappil on his visit to the village in Kerala's Kasaragod district on Thursday.
Chandrasekharan is a CPI legislator representing the Kanhangad constituency in the Kerala state legislative assembly. He holds the Revenue portfolio in the Pinarayi Vijayan government and heads the CPI legislative party.
“This should not have happened. I came as a government representative. Initiative for peace talks will be taken. The families' demand for a CBI probe is reasonable," Chandrasekharan said.
Youth Congress workers Kripesh and Sharathlal were brutally hacked to death on Sunday allegedly by CPM activists in Periya village in Kerala's northernmost district.
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LDF convener A Vijayaraghavan said the minister’s visit to the houses of murdered youth does not send the right message. He was responding to media reports on the visit. But he later went on to clarify his statement criticising the minister. “He can visit as a minister from the district, not as LDF representative,” Vijayaraghavan said.
Kodiyeri backs minister
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, however, did not disapprove of the visit. His visit as a representative of the government was not wrong. It was not a party member’s visit, he said.
Meanwhile, CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran said "E Chandrasekharan visited the victims' house as a representative of the people, not the party. There is nothing more there."
The Crime Branch Thursday took over the investigation into the killing of two Youth Congress workers, as the total number of arrests in the case climbed to seven with five more people being arrested.
The arrest of K M Suresh, K Anil Kumar, M Ashwin, Sreerag and G Gijin was recorded Thursday.
Prime accused and local CPM leader (now expelled) A Peethambaran, and Saji George were arrested in the past two days.
Meanwhile, the parents of the slain activists demanded a CBI probe into the incident and reiterated the allegation that the killings were executed with the support and knowledge of the CPM.
The parents said they had no confidence in the police investigation.
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