Malampuzha, Palakkad: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the brutal murder of a young Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist here. The party's Kerala unit president K Surendran also lashed out at the CPM-led state government for its apathy in identifying the culprits and bringing them to book.
Sanjith, a resident of Eduppukulam, near Elappully, was slain by an unidentified gang on Monday morning. A car rammed into Sanjith's bike when he was riding along with his wife. As the couple fell down, the gang grabbed Sanjith and hacked him several times with a machete in front of his wife.
Autopsy revealed Sanjith had received over 30 cuts, several on his head.
The 27-year-old was the Block Secretary (Mandalam Karyavahak) of the RSS.
A BJP delegation led by state chief Surendran called on Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Tuesday. The party urged the Governor to nudge the state government to transfer the case to the NIA.
The party also demanded a “free and fair” investigation into the case.
On Monday, the BJP had called for a hartal in Malampuzha constituency to protest the murder.
Surendran said that the law and order situation in the state is growing very dire and warned that if the government and police are unable to stem the violence, then his party will take matters into their own hands. "We will mobilize the people and meet fire with fire," Surendran said.
Police suspect the personnel of Social Democratic Party of India or SDPI behind the attack. SDPI is the political outfit of Islamic group Popular Front of India.
This attack is likely a backlash to a previous political conflict which resulted in a murder.
Palakkad Police Chief Viswanath R has launched a detailed probe.