Anthikad: A 28-year-old man, accused in the murder of CPM supporter Adarsh, was hacked to death in Mangattukara near Anthikad in Thrissur on Saturday.
The victim was identified as Nidhil, son of Muttichoor native Udayan.
Nidhil was attacked while he was returning from the police station. The gang of goons rammed their vehicle onto Nidhil’s car and then hacked him.
BJP leaders have said that Nidhil was their party worker and that the CPM was behind the murder. The BJP has called for a hartal in Anthikad panchayat on Sunday.
Certain people, who were part of Adarsh's gang, are suspected to be behind Saturday’s murder. A Muttichoor native, Sanal, has been reportedly nabbed by the police. He was caught when he went to a hospital in Thrissur, according to sources. The arrest has not been recorded.
Adarsh of Thannyam was killed on July 2. Nidhil, seventh accused in the Adarsh murder case, was out on bail. He had gone to the police station as per the bail conditions. Nidhil was travelling alone in the car, when he was attacked about 1.5km away from the Anthikad police station around 11am on Saturday.
After waylaying his car, the assailants dragged him on to the road and hacked him several times. Though the gang tried to flee after the murder, their car did not start. They then stopped a passing jeep and a bike. The knife-wielding assailants threatened the occupants, and fled in their vehicles. These vehicles are yet to be traced.
Though a crowd of people rushed to the spot, they were frightened to approach the victim. Nidhil was taken to the Thrissur Medical College Hospital by the police.
Nidhil's brother Nijil is also an accused in the Adarsh murder case. Nidhil was named as an accused in several cases, including murder, and was also on the police station's rowdy list. A sword was retrieved from Nidhil's car. Prabitha is his wife.
CPM behind murder: BJP
BJP state president K Surendran has alleged that the CPM hatched the conspiracy to murder the BJP worker. He also said that Minister A C Moideen's role in the murder should be probed.
"The government, that lost its credibility due to corruption and the smuggling case, is trying to divert the public's attention through political murders. The CPM leaders provoked the workers to commit the murder," he alleged.
BJP district president K K Anish Kumar also said that the role of both the police and Minister Moideen should be probed.
CPM denies role
CPM district secretary M M Varghese said that the party had no role in the incident and gang rivalry had led to the murder. He also pointed out that the victim was an accused in several criminal cases.
7 murders in 6 days
This is the seventh murder to be reported in the last six days in Thrissur district.
Though the police have been able to nab the accused in most of the cases, the need of the hour is to step up the vigil.
CPM Puthussery branch secretary P U Sanoop was hacked to death at Kunnamkulam last Sunday night. The CPM has termed it as a political murder. But the first investigation report by the police said that personal enmity had led to the murder.
Woman dentist Sona, from Muvattupuzha, too had succumbed to the stab injuries last Sunday. She was attacked by her live-in partner at Kuriachira in Thrissur. He was arrested on Monday.
In another shocking incident, Satheesh, an accused in a POCSO case, was hacked to death by his neighbour Sreejith at Elanad.
A 60-year-old man, Shashi of Chirstopher Nagar in Ollur, was stabbed while he was out for his morning walk two weeks ago. He died on Saturday.
A Thiruvananthapuram native, Shameer, accused in a ganja case, had died while he was in jail. This was ascertained to be a murder on Friday.
A 44-year-old man, Rajesh, was found dead at his rented house at Pori Bazaar in Kodungallur. And it was later proved to be a murder.
And finally, BJP worker Nidhil was hacked to death by a gang of assailants on Saturday.
23 murders in Thrissur this year
As many as 23 murders were reported in the district this year. Eleven murders were reported from the city police limits in these 10 months and 12 from the rural police limits.
(As per the data of the Crime Records Bureau, the number of murders is 21. But the custodial death and the Anthikad murder take the number to 23).
Patrolling to be stepped up: DIG
DIG S Surendran has said that patrolling would be stepped up.
"The police were able to nab the accused in all the recent murder cases. Even in the Muttichoor case, we have been able to find out who the culprits are. We have got clues on where they are heading to. Goons, accused in criminal cases, are also under close watch," he said.
'Law and order situation deteriorated in Thrissur'
T N Prathapan MP has said that the law and order situation in Thrissur has deteriorated.
"Clashes between rival gangs and attacks have become a daily affair in the district. The law enforcement system, that has to protect people's lives and assets, has also failed," the MP alleged.