Earlier today, a state-level BJP politician was slashed to death in Kerala’s Alappuzha district. Hours before that, another state-level leader of the Social Democratic Party of India was killed in the same area.
According to police, attorney Ranjith Sreenivas, State Secretary of the BJP’s OBC Morcha, was assaulted earlier this morning at his home in Alappuzha. When he was getting ready for his daily morning stroll, a gang burst into his residence and hacked him many times. Ranjith ran as a BJP candidate in the recent assembly elections.
On Saturday night, SDPI State Secretary K S Shan was also assaulted by a group. He was struck by a car while riding a two-wheeler. The attackers exited their vehicle and repeatedly hacked Shan. He was brought to a local hospital in Alappuzha and eventually transferred to a hospital in Kochi, where he died at midnight.
The deaths in Alappuzha was condemned by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He said that strong police action would be taken to apprehend the attackers as well as those responsible for the horrific crimes. These unlawful behaviours have a negative impact on society. I am certain that people would isolate criminal groups and their heinous mentality.
G Jaidev, Superintendent of Police in Alappuzha district, said police are investigating if the deaths are connected and retaliatory in character.
“A few individuals have been arrested in connection with the deaths. The police were not slack in their monitoring of the situation after yesterday’s tragedy (of SDPI leader). We increased our presence in various places after the Saturday night death, but were unable to avert the Sunday killing,” he stated.
The SP said that prohibitory orders are in effect for two days throughout the district. In Government Medical College, Kochi, which houses the corpse of SDPI leader K S Shan, the police presence has been bolstered on the grounds. Numerous SDPI members are camped on the grounds of the medical college hospital.
Another shocking incident took place yesterday in the city of Amritsar, where a life was lost.
A youngster was reportedly beaten to death at Golden Temple by enraged Sangat and Sewadars after jumping in front of the Guru Granth Sahib in the sanctum sanctorum during Saturday evening’s recitation of Rehras Sahib (evening prayers). He mounted the railing, stood on the ‘Rumala Sahib’ (cloth around Guru Granth Sahib), and took up the sword placed in front of it, disturbing religious rituals.
Parminder Singh Bhandal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), verified that the youth was beaten to death. He informed reporters that the suspect, who was between the ages of 20 and 25, was dressed in a “yellow patka”.
DCP further added that the youth was standing peacefully in the sanctum sanctorum with the Sangat, but when his time came, he bowed and jumped inside the railing, where he took up the sword.
The man was promptly overpowered and dragged outside, where he was assaulted by the enraged group, following which he died.
According to the DCP, his corpse was taken to the morgue, and an autopsy will be performed on Sunday. He also said that the police did not discover any identity card or paperwork on the deceased but that they would review CCTV video to determine if he was alone or not.