The death of Ananthu Ashokan, a Plus Two student, at Cherthala two days ago has brought back fears among the people on gangsterism in Alappuzha district. A series of murders has taken place in the district during the past few months.
As many as 17 youngsters have been arrested in the Ananthu murder case, said to be a sequel to petty quarrels at the school level. Seven of the accused were juveniles. Though the arrested were Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activists, the police said it was not a political murder.
An 18-year-old youth, Muhsin, a DYFI activist, was hacked to death at Alisserry near here last month. The incident occurred during an altercation at a local temple compound where cultural programmes were in progress as part of the temple festival.
Rivalry between gangs had resulted in the murder of three people in the Haripad-Kayamkulam area a month ago. Sumesh, 30, belonging to Kandalloor in Kayamkulam, was murdered by a gang at Pullukulangara. He was found with fatal wounds in an agricultural field after dusk.
A few days earlier, Jishnu, a DYFI activist, was murdered by an armed gang at Karuvatta in Haripad. The 21-year-old youth, who was travelling on a bike along with a friend, was intercepted by the gang, around noon. He was attacked by about 10 people at a railway gate. Most of the attackers were reportedly wearing masks.
A Youth Congress activist, Ullas, was murdered in Karuvatta about 10 days prior to the incident.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala had undertaken a 12-hour satyagraha at Haripad in February in protest against increased goonda attacks in the area. The UDF had blamed the police for the situation. There had been instances of forcible release of criminals from police stations, according to Congress leaders.
CPI(M) leaders, on the other hand, alleged that criminal gangs were allowed to thrive during the tenure of the previous UDF regime. BJP leaders said the CPI(M) had unleashed violence as their cadres were shrinking.
The police undertook an extensive swoop following the spate of killings last month. A few hundreds were arrested and about 1,000 questioned as part of the exercise. The gangs involved in the crimes were associated with drug peddlers, spirit mafia and quotation killers, according to the police.
