Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): Two activists of the youth wing of the CPI(M) were hacked to death by a gang, with the Marxist party heading the ruling LDF alleging that Congress was behind the killings and the latter rejecting the charge on Monday.
Mithilaj (30) and Haq Muhammed (24) were attacked with sharp edged weapons at Venjaramoodu in this district at around 11.30 pm on Sunday. While Mithilaj died on the spot, the other man succumbed while being taken to a hospital, police said. Police said they suspected rivalry between the CPI(M) and the Congress workers was the reason for the killings that triggered tension in the area on Onam day.
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Condemning the killing of the DYFI workers, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan ordered a comprehensive probe into the incident.
Three people have been taken into custody in connection with the incident, Police said, adding the bodies of the victims had been handed over to relatives after postmortem.
The DYFI workers were attacked while they were going to Mithilaj's home on a motorbike. CCTV visuals aired by TV channels showed a gang of assailants attacking the duo.
Vijayan, also holding the Home portfolio, directed the police to nab the assailants and investigate the motive behind the fatal attack.
The CPI(M) and DYFI alleged that Congress workers were behind the killing of DYFI activists, but the opposition party denied any role in it saying the party "does not believe in violence".
CPI(M) state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan alleged a high-level conspiracy by Congress leadership behind the attack.
"It is a planned murder. The top leadership of the Congress has a role in it," Balakrishnan alleged.
The party will observe a 'black day' on September 2 in protest against the "brutal killing" of the DYFI workers, he said.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala said the Congress had no role in the killings.
"Congress is not a party of assailants. We don't encourage goons in our party," he said.
The senior Congress leader alleged "false propaganda" had been unleashed by the state government to blame his party.
"The effort by a government, which has lost face due to its misdeeds, to malign the Congress will not succeed," he told reporters.
Terming it a "heinous attack", CPI(M) state secretariat member K N Balagopal alleged the Congress leadership was responsible for the killing of DYFI activists.
"Two DYFI workers were brutally killed on the eve of Thiruvonam day. It is evident that the Congress, instead of encouraging democratic discourse, is encouraging violence against CPI(M)-DYFI workers in the state. We strongly condemn this heinous attack on DYFI activists," Balagopal said.
Meanwhile, Workers of the Youth Congress and the DYFI clashed in front of the Public Service Commission office at Pattom here.
The clash erupted when a march by DYFI activists against the killings passed the PSC office where Youth Congress workers were protesting the cancellation of a rank list.
The police removed Youth Congress workers including its leaders and Congress MLAs Shafi Parambil and KS Sabarinathan following the clashes between the two groups.
(PTI report)
