Twin murders: Male pillion riders on bikes banned in Kerala's Palakkad

The Palakkad Additional District Magistrate has banned male pillion riders on two-wheelers after two murders that took place in the district, however, this ban exempts women and children.

Palakkad(Kerala): In a bizarre decision, the Palakkad Additional District Magistrate has banned male pillion riders on two-wheelers in the Palakkad district. The order came following the two brutal murders of a Popular Front of India (PFI) and a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders, suspected to be by SDPI activists.

The assailants had come on a two-wheeler to the shop of RSS worker Sreenivasan where they hacked him to death in broad daylight in Palakkad. The RSS worker was attacked by assailants at his shop where the suspects reportedly arrived at the spot on motorbikes. This murder seems to be a retaliation to the murder of a PFI activist Subair on April 15. He was allegedly hacked to death at Elappully in the district while he was returning home after from mosque on Friday afternoon.

Tension prevailed in the area following these twin murders within a time gap of 24 hours. The Magistrate order is following police reports regarding the possibility of communal violence and more murders in the locality. The order, however, has given an exemption to women and children pillion riders. Earlier, prohibitory orders had been issued in the district till April 20.