BJP calls district hartal over killing of ABVP/RSS worker in Kannur

Kannur: A 24-year-old ABVP activist and local RSS leader was hacked to death in an alleged attack by the SDPI/PFI activists at Kommery near Kannavam, on Friday evening.BJP called a dawn-to-dusk district hartal to protest on Saturday against the murder, however, vehicles and essential services are exempted from the hartal. The ABVP will also organise statewide protest marches.

Police arrested four SDPI/ PFI workers of Kannur and also took into custody their car, which was used in the alleged crime, at around 1845 hrs. Police arrested Saleem, Muhammed, Sameer and Hashim, all hailing from Kannur district, stating that political enmity was the reason behind the murder.

According to Kannavam police, the deceased was identified as K V Shyama Prasad (24) of Kannavam, a student of Government ITI student at Kakkayanghad near Peravoor in the district and RSS mukya sikshak of 17th Mile Kannavam Unit.Police said Shyama Prasad was on way to home from ITI, when four people came in a car and waylaid him at around 1800 hrs, on the stretch between Thalassery to Kottiyoor. 

Though he tried to escape from the spot, the assailants attacked him with swords on his head and neck. Locals rushed him to Koothuparamba Government hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. The body would be shifted to Pariyaram Medical College hospital for post-mortem, they added.District police chief G Shiv Vikram visited the spot, where tense situation prevails. The situation is under control, Mr Vikram said.

He said an SDPI worker Ayoob (22), a school bus driver, was waylaid and attacked by RSS workers, while he was returning after dropping the students on January 11.In the first week of January, an altercation between Ayoob and RSS worker Adharash of Kannavam was reported, leading to Adharash's remand in this case.

Earlier, ABVP district leader N Sachin Gopal (19), a student of Modern ITC, Kannur was killed in an attack by Campus Front/Popular Front of India on July 6 at Pallikunnu near Kannur town, when he came to Pallikunnu High school for campaigning. He succumbed to injuries on September 6, in a hospital at Mangalore. (UNI)