Onchiyam CPM leader vowed to chop off TP Chandrasekharan in 2010

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Putting Kerala's CPM in more trouble, it is emerged that party's Onchiyam area secretary V.P. Gopalakrishnan had threatened to kill RMP leader T.P. Chandrasekharan, as early as 2010.

T.P Chandrasekharan was a local leader of a breakaway group of CPM in Onchiyam in Kozhikode, Kerala, who posthmously shot to national prominence after he was hacked to death on 4 May 2012, in a still unresolved crime. Many CPM leaders have been arrested in the case so far.

In a controversial speech in Onchiyam on February 5, Gopalakrishnan said TP’s head 'will be chopped off'. The video clipping of the speech was shown by some TV channels on Monday.

Gopalakrishnan had issued the death threat against TP at a meeting organised by CPM to protest against the attacks on its activists by RMP men. In the speech, Gopalakrishnan alleged that TP was giving the leadership to these attacks. Padiyyamakandy Raveendran, currently under SIT custody in the case, was also present at the venue of the speech.

CPM Kannur district secretary P. Jayrajan told reporters in Kannur on Monday that there was nothing unusual in the speech. According to him, it was natural for leaders to use such language, at a time when RMP men were attacking CPM activists.

The SIT probing the case questioned P.K. Kunhananthan in the presence of CPM Panur area committee secretary Pavithran on Monday. Pavithran was released later.

Even on the third day of the questioning, Kunhananthan continued to maintain that he had no role in the murder.

Meanwhile, one of the accused, T.K. Rejeesh, filed an affidavit at the Vadakara first class judicial magistrate court denying his role in the killing. He also refuted the charge he was involved in five other political murders including that of K.T. Jayakrishnan.

He alleged that the police forcibly took his confession through torture and threats. The court recorded his affidavit but rejected his bail application.

Police took into custody two more persons on the charge of providing shelter to Kodi Suni and some others accused in the case. The two were CPM Muzhukkunnu local committee secretary Karyaith Valsan and local committee member Karayi Sreedharan.

Karayi Sreejith, son of Sreedharan, had been taken into custody by the police along with Kodi Suni from their hideout in Peringanam Hills a week ago.