Alappuzha: Five accused in the murder of SDPI state secretary K S Shan were held from Palani by a special squad and Mannanchery police here on Friday. The High Court had cancelled their bail on December 11, 2024. The Alappuzha Additional Sessions Court issued warrants for their arrest on December 17. They have been absconding since December. A special team was constituted to track them, and they were traced to a hideout in Palani. They are being brought to Kerala.

 The arrested suspects—Vishnu, Abhimanyu, Sanand, Atul, and Dhanesh—were accused two to six in the case. In addition, two individuals who helped the accused abscond were arrested on Thursday.  The trial court had granted bail to the accused a year ago, but the bail was cancelled after the prosecution filed an appeal in the High Court.

Shan, 38, was assaulted at the Kuppezham Junction in Mannancherry, Alappuzha, on December 18, 2021, by a group of assailants who rammed his bike from behind. He was attacked with iron rods and other weapons, and he succumbed to injuries by 11.30 pm.