Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

RSS worker’s murder: three persons wanted

Thiruvananthapuram: The police have said that they are searching mainly for three persons — ‘Karate’ Suresh, Ambalamukku Krishnakumar and Vanchiyoor Hariprasad — in connection with the murder of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist Renjith at Mannanthala on October 17.

The police believe that Renjith was killed in retaliation to the murder of Communist Party of India (Marxist) activist Vanchiyoor Vishnu this April. They said the wanted men had been close associates of Vishnu and the group was involved, among other things, in the lucrative business of selling mud to realtors reclaiming wetlands for construction.

Suresh and Krishnakumar, along with absconding ‘gang leader’ Om Prakash, are also accused in the killing of alleged mobster ‘Aprani’ Krishnakumar in 2007. Suresh was named as accused in the murder of ‘Changidi’ Vinod, an associate of Aprani Krishnakumar, in 2006. Hariprasad and Krishnakumar are the main suspects in the retaliatory attack on RSS activist Mohanan in the aftermath of Vishnu’s murder.

The police said that some of the suspects were seen partying in front of the CPI (M) office at Vanchiyoor on the previous day of Renjith’s murder. A close relative of Vishnu was also present. The police have posted men in front of the office, the regular hangout of the main suspects in Renjith murder case, to prevent any retaliatory attack by RSS men. They said RSS cadres close to Renjith could retaliate against two top CPM leaders in the district if they suspected that the police were not doing enough to solve the murder.

They said the suspects had initially planned to kill ‘Kakotta’ Manoj, one of the main accused in the Vishnu murder case. But he proved to be too elusive for the assailants.

The police said Renjith’s killers arrived in front of his shop in two cars and one motorbike. They said a local contact helped the assailants. Investigators counted 49 injuries on Renjith’s body, an indication that there were more than five assailants.

The police suspect that the conspiracy to kill Renjith was hatched at Muttathara and airport area. They are investigating an airport-based gang leader and CPI(M) functionary in connection with the murder conspiracy. Some of Vishnu’s associates had switched off their cell phones on October 16 and switched them on only after Renjith was killed. Investigators are viewing this action as a possible indication of their guilt.

The police also searched the houses of one Deepu Dutt and his brother Balu Dutt near Muttathara for some suspects. They said the brothers had been arrested this year at Kovalam along with Krishnakumar and Karate Suresh on the charge of violating the Arms Act. The police also searched several premises in Mysore believing that Suresh could be hiding there.

The police hope that mobile telephone calls made from Mannanthala and adjoining areas early on Friday will provide them clues about the identity of Renjith’s killers. The Crime Branch zeroed in on the culprits by identifying those who used their cell phones in the vicinity of the mobile phone towers near the murder spot at time of the crime. Assistant Commissioner K. Ramachandran and Circle Inspector K. E. Baiju are investigating the case.

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