Two murders were reported in Tension In Kerala's Alappuzha within hours. (Representational)
Two political leaders from the BJP and SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India) have been murdered in Kerala's Alappuzha, pushing the police to ban large gatherings in the district. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the murders and assured strict action.
Late last evening, SDPI state secretary KS Shaan was murdered while he was on way home. The police said Mr Shaan was on a two-wheeler, when a gang in a car intercepted him, hit his bike and stabbed him. He succumbed to his injuries at a Kochi hospital around midnight, the police said.
Less than 12 hours later, some unidentified men barged into the house of the BJP's Renjith Sreenivasan, who was the Secretary of the party's OBC unit and hacked him to death.
The police are investigating the matter. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 has been imposed in the district for two days and strict checking is being conducted. Unnecessary gatherings will not be allowed, an officer said.
"Such heinous and inhumane acts of violence are dangerous to the state. I am sure that all the people would be ready to identify and isolate such killer groups and their hateful attitudes," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a press conference, assuring police action to identify the accused.
The BJP and the SDPI have accused each other of being responsible for the murders.
BJP state president K Surendran said this is the "third brutal murder of BJP workers in last 60 days. PFI goons are trying to destabilize the state".
Union minister V Muralidharaan also condemned the attacks, alleging "goondaraj" (lawlessness) in Kerala and said the state is turning into "killing fields". Tagging Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, he tweeted:
The SDPI has accused the workers of the BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, of engineering the attack.
Party chief MK Faizy tweeted, "It's part of Sangh Parivar agenda to create communal violence & disrupt the communal harmony in the state. Condemn RSS terrorism. The indifferent attitude of Kerala Police acts as a shot in the arm for RSS"
In a second tweet, he said "Govt shud initiate strong measures 2 curb RSS rampage in d state & ensure peaceful life 4 the people (sic)".
Earlier, an RSS worker, S Sanjith, was hacked to death allegedly by the workers of the SDPI, which is the political wing of the People's Front of India, on November 15.