Murder, Kerala BJP worker, BJP worker death, Murder arrest
(Representational image)Reuters

Kerala police have arrested six CPI (M) activists in connection with the murder of BJP worker Ezhuthan Santhosh, who was hacked to death in Kannur district on the night of Wednesday, January 18.

Kerala: BJP worker hacked to death in Kannur, party calls for hartal in the district amid arts festival

While other details of the arrest have not been revealed yet, the arrested men have been identified as Prajwal, Rohil, Rijesh, Shamil, Ajesh and Midhul, according to local media reports. They were taken into custody from Dharmadom in Kannur. Santhosh, who was the booth president of Andaloor near Dharmadom in Kannur, Kerala, was murdered at his residence on January 18 by a group of assailants who broke into his house.

The BJP has alleged that the murder was politically motivated and a continuation of the numerous attacks targeting BJP cadre that have taken place in Kannur. However, the CPI (M) has defended itself and stated that it had no role in the attack, adding that it would not protect any of its members if found guilty or complicit in the murder. 

Following the murder, the BJP staged a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the district on Thursday. Clashes broke out when the workers tried to take the body of the victim to the venue of the ongoing State School Arts Festival in Kannur. The situation was brought under control after the district collector pleaded with the warring factions to allow the funeral procession to pass through the main venue of the arts fest.

This is not the first time clashes have erupted between CPI (M) and BJP in Kannur. The district has seen at least 200 deaths said to be related to political skirmishes in three decades.

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