While the needle of suspicion in the TPC murder points to some key lieutenants of CPM leader Pinarayi Vijayan in Kannur, the UDF is busy gauging how the possible arrest of some top leader of the CPM would impact on the public mood.

All of a sudden, some CPM leaders have taken to the streets, protesting the arrests of its comrades.

While more than a dozen CPM workers have been in police custody for the last many days, the party looked the other way, but raised their protest when the police took into custody C. Babu, Koothuparambu area committee office secretary, who is personally close to many CPM leaders.

Police suspects that the assassins, before leaving for unidentified shelters, arrived at the area committee office.

Police is checking the phone calls made from and received by the committee office.
As the probe began moving from ordinary party activists to senior leaders, the top brass of the party is visibly worried.

The party machinery in Kannur got activated soon after the arrest of Babu. A siege was organised in front of the circle inspector’s office at Koothuparamba.

CPM state committee member M.V. Jayarajan landed in Vadakara and organised a sit-in in front of the police station.

P. Jayarajan, CPM Kannur district secretary, alleged that the UDF government was targeting him. “I am not an individual, but the face of party,” he said.

“In the name of TPC murder, they want to weaken CPI (M) in the district, as the mass base of the party is so strong here”, he said.

Meanwhile, the UDF is reportedly scared of the political repercussions of the probable arrest of a top CPM leader in connection with the TPC murder, especially vis-a-vis the bypoll in Neyyattinkara.

The top brass of the UDF are divided over the arrest before the votes are polled, as it would raise allegations of a political conspiracy.

Meanwhile, sources say the assassins are safely put in the party villages of Kannur. The government needs to demonstrate the will to assure a backup for the police. Any faulty move would invite a massive resistance from the CPM, police fears.

The political observers are eagerly looking whether these developments would lead to the collapse of the party fortresses in Kannur built on blind party faith. Posters and a pro-VS campaign are making waves in the party fortresses.

However, to win over public support, the CPM has planned a campaign in Malabar. Leaders including Pinarayi Vijayan and Prakash Karat will attend a series of functions in Kannur, Vadakara and Kozhikode in the coming days.

Man held for supplying fake SIM cards

Police on Friday arrested Jabir, 35, a native of Azhiyur, in connection with the T.P. Chandrasekharan murder.

He was later remanded to judicial custody.

Police also took into custody Kunnothprambu CPM local committee secretary Jyothir Babu on Friday.
Jabir was arrested by Chombal police for sourcing fake SIM cards for the assassins.

He sourced the cards from two mobile shops of Vadakara using fake address documents and photographs. Jabir was produced at the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court, Kunnamangalam.

Police produced two CPM activists – former Kunnothuparambu branch secretary Vadakkayil Manoj, 47,
and Kizhakkayil Shanoj, 32, a native of Patyam at the court and they were remanded to police custody for 14 days and four days respectively.

The two were arrested on Thursday.