CPI-M worker hacked to death in Kerala, party alleges BJP-RSS hand

A 25-year-old Communist Party of India -Marxist (CPI-M) youth wing leader was stabbed to death allegedly by a BJP worker in Kerala’s Kasaragod district.

“Siddique, a Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) worker, was attacked by two motorcycle-borne men in Uppala -- 600 km from Thiruvananthapuram—late on Sunday night. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but his life could not be saved,” PTI quoted a police official as saying.

Following the attack, security has been tightened in the area to prevent any violence. The Kerala police has constituted a special team to investigate the case.

Condemning the attack, CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan alleged RSS-BJP hand behind the murder of his party worker.

However, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president PS Sreedharan Pillai rebutted the allegations of the CPI-M and said that attack was not politically motivated.

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There has been a rapid increase in the incidents of political killings in Kerala since 2014 with both the ruling CMI-M and the BJP accusing each other of attacking their party workers.

Need to address political violence in Kerela: President Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind while inaugurating a function to mark the conclusion of the year-long diamond jubilee celebrations of the Kerala Assembly on Monday stressed the need to address the issue of political violence in the state.

“History of debate, mutual dignity and respect for another’s point of view has been a hallmark of Kerala society. Nevertheless, there remains the paradox of political violence in Kerala, especially in some regions of the state,” Kovind said.

“This (political violence) is unfortunate and does little justice to the glorious traditions of the state and its people. It is important for all political groups and all enlightened citizens to do their utmost to curb the development of such tendencies,” the president added.

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