Three activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the unnatural death of a tribal youth and Youth Congress worker at Ambayathod, near Kelakam, in the district.
Edavana Balan was found hanging at his house at Ambayathod on March 30.
The Congress alleged that Balan was murdered by CPI(M) activists. However, the CPI(M) leadership in the district denied that party activists had any involvement in Balan's death. Congress and Youth Congress leaders had been demanding a probe by a special investigation team into the cause of the death.
The three CPI(M) activists, Jobin Joseph, 25, E.C. Sundareshan, 27, and P.R. Rajesh, 24, were arrested by the Iritty police here. All the three hail from Ambayathode, the police said. Six more suspects in the case were at large, they said.
The arrests took place as Congress and Youth Congress workers were agitating, demanding the arrest of those behind the youth's death. The Youth Congress had also made a representation to the Election Commission calling for a probe into the death.