The 48-hour fast by Congress leader K. Sudhakaran on February 19 will now be an indefinite one, as part of the party’s move to intensify the agitation demanding the arrest of the assailants and conspirators behind the murder of Youth Congress activist S.P. Shuhaib.
The decision to go on an indefinite fast was taken by the the party leadership here amid allegations that the two arrested in connection with the murder were ‘dummy’ accused to subvert the case and to save the real culprits. Director General of Police (North Zone) Rajesh Dewan had said on Monday that the arrested – Akash Thillankery and Rijil Raj – were CPI(M) workers and had been actively involved in the murder of Shuhaib.
Among the Congress leaders who visited the venue of the fast in front of the Collectorate here on Tuesday were former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and K. Muraleedharan.
“We cannot accept any move intended to protect the real culprits,” Mr. Chennithala told reporters here.
The Congress leadership would meet here on Thursday to discuss the future course of action. KPCC president M.M. Hassan said the investigation was a hoax probe ‘by the accused for the accused'. He demanded an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation .
Probe intensified
Meanwhile, the police said the investigators had intensified the search for the remaining accused in the murder case and for the car in which assailants had travelled. Iritty Deputy Superintendent of Police Prajeesh Thottathil said the investigation team had collected more information helpful for the ongoing investigation. He said it was too early to disclose them.
The remand report submitted by the police at the court at Mattannur reportedly mentioned that the accused hacked Shuhaib with the intention of killing him. The police had initially believed that the assailants hacked him with the intention of maiming him because the injuries he had suffered were in the lower part of the body. The Dy.SP, however, refused to disclose the details in the remand report saying that it was a confidential report produced before the court.
