Two state-level leaders, one from the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and another from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have been killed in Kerala's Alappuzha, with the two murders occurring within hours of each other.
Soon after SDPI state secretary KS Shan succumbed to stabbing injuries at a private hospital in Ernakulam, BJP OBC Morcha state secretary Ranjith Sreenivasan was murdered in an apparent retaliatory attack on Sunday, 19 December.
Shan had been attacked by a gang around 7:30 pm on Saturday and had been admitted to hospital with multiple stab injuries. A group of men had knocked Shan down from his motorbike and assaulted him. Sreenivasan was attacked by another gang on Sunday morning, reported The Times of India.
Police say they have identified the vehicles used in both the attacks.
Prohibitory orders and Section 144 have been imposed in the district for two days.
CM Vijayan Assures Action, Opposition Calls Him 'Lame Duck'
Assuring that the police will take strict action against those responsible, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said, "Such heinous and inhumane acts of violence are dangerous to the state. I am sure that all the people would be ready to identify and isolate such killer groups and their hateful attitudes."
But Opposition leaders like veteran Congressman Ramesh Chennithala have hit out at the state government for failing to curb the political violence that ensued.
"The religious extremists parties like BJP/RSS and SDPI has turned Kerala into a lawless state and the Home Ministry under Pinarayi Vijayan is watching it helplessly as a lame duck."Ramesh Chennithala
The SDPI, political wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI), alleged RSS involvement in the attack against the SDPI leader but district leaders of the RSS have denied any role, reported Hindustan Times.
Clashes between RSS and SDPI are a regular phenomenon in Kerala, a state that continues to be marred by frequent incidents of political violence.
(With inputs from The Times of India, Hindustan Times)
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