TP Chandrasekharan murder: Red link thickens, 2 CPM leaders held

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The Special Investigation Team nabbed CPI(M) Onchiyam area secretary C.H. Ashokan and area committee member K.K. Krishnan in connection with the T.P. Chandrasekharan murder on Thursday.

Ashokan, the former State general secretary of pro-CPI(M) NGO Union, and Krishnan have been sent to police remand till June 7.

The charge: Both had prior information on the conspiracy, hatched at the Onchiyam party office.
Police picked up the duo on the basis of a “confession” by the party local committee member K.C. Ramachandran that the conspiracy to kill the tallest Onchiyam dissenter was hatched one and a half years ago and there were six unsuccessful bids on his life.

According to police, Ramachandran had earlier stated personal grudge as the motive for the crime. He had accompanied one of the assassins, Kirmani Manoj, who is still at large, in the last futile attempt.

CPI(M) thronged the Vadakara Judicial First Class Magistrate Court (JFCMC) premises, shouting slogans in support of the accused and trying to disrupt the police action.

The police resorted to lathicharge when the mob turned violent and turned towards the media.

Of the 16 in custody are CPI (M) leaders- Orkkattery local committee member Padayankandi Raveendran, Kunnummakkara local committee member K.C. Ramachandran and Kunnothuparambu local committee member Jyothir Babu.

A lookout circular has been issued against Panoor area committee member K.P. Kunhananthan.

Police combed the Kannavam forest region with the support of special commando forces on Thursday in search of the killers and conspirators, especially the key accused Kodi Suni and CPM Panoor area committee member Kunhananthan.

Police raided “party” villages in Kotta, Chittariparambu and Koothuparambu and seized bomb-making material from a house.