K Sudhakaran to start hunger strike Monday

KANNUR: Even four days after the brutal murder of Youth Congress leader S.P. Shuhaib of Edayannur, the failure of the police to trace any of the suspects and to shed light on the perpetrators has strengthened suspicious about the alleged role of the CPM behind the murder.   Though Kannur range IG Mahipal Yadav had revealed to the media on Tuesday, a day after the murder, that four people were suspected to be the accused, so far none of them has been taken into custody.

He had also indicated the suspicion about the CPM’s role in the murder, saying “though they (CPM) had denied any role in the murder, prima facie, the murder seems to have political involvement, as the victim was earlier involved in clashes with the CPM in the locality and there were cases and counter cases”. Kannur SP Siva Vikram on Friday repeated that the police was yet to make any headway in the investigation. “The investigation has been on the right track and the accused would be nabbed soon.”

Mr Vikram was reacting to the allegations by the Opposition that the police was helpless in arresting the accused under pressure from the CPM in the party-dominated district. He had already revealed that the vehicle that was used by the killers, could not be confiscated. “The vehicle, with a ‘for registration’ sticker and other evidence is crucial in the investigation”, he said.  

Meanwhile, the Congress has decided to intensify the agitation against the inaction of the police in the investigation. Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Congress leader K. Sudhakaran and Kannur DCC president Satheesan Pacheni have said that Mr Sudhakaran would begin an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Kannur Collectorate on Monday. Mr Sudhakaran also alleged that police failed to conduct even a preliminary investigation on the issue. The investigation team even failed to register the statement of Shuhaib’s father at his home which was not far from the office of Mattannur circle inspector. “I strongly feel the police in Kannur are controlled by the CPM through M.V. Jayarajan, who controls the Chief minister’s office”, he said.

“The murder was committed by criminals from outside while the local leaders provided facilities for them to escape after the incident”, he alleged. Mr Sudhakaran has also alleged that the CPM had conducted a secret gathering at the local level as part of the planning for the murder.  “We suspect that police officials colluded with CPM by allowing key accused in the TP Chandrasekharan murder like Kodi Suni to come out of the prison during night and go back after committing murders”, he said.