The police suspect that the armed attack on Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activist ‘Chukkran' Renjith at Chembakassery junction last Sunday was in retaliation for the attempt on the life of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist K. Mohanan at Palkulangara in 2008.
The police were expecting a fresh round of ‘gangster-aided' political violence in the city in the wake of the attack.
They said Renjith, along with 12 others, had attacked Mohanan in 2008 in retaliation for the murder of DYFI activist ‘Vanchiyoor' Vishnu in April the same year.
Mohanan was reduced to a vegetative state. The police suspect that some of Mohanan's relatives, including certain RSS activists, plotted Renjith's murder. They were investigating whether Mohanan was part of the conspiracy. They were yet to trace the vehicles and weapons used by the assailants.
Renjith was in a critical condition and under police guard at the hospital where he was being treated.
The police had arrested Renjith in 2008 on the charge of plotting the murder of RSS activist Mannanthala Renjith. He was subsequently booked under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act.
Investigators said Mannanthala Renjith was also killed in retaliation for the murder of DYFI activist ‘Vanchiyoor' Vishnu. The other main accused in the case were Vanchiyoor Hariprasad, ‘Motta' Aji, both DYFI activists, and ‘Karate' Suresh and Ambalamukku Krishnakumar, both declared as gang leaders under the KAPA.
Business interests
The conspirators were Vishnu's close friends and his partners in the lucrative business of selling earth from razed hillocks to realtors reclaiming wetlands for construction
The police said the accused had a personal score to settle with Vishnu's killers, allegedly a group of RSS men from Mannanthala.
Some of the RSS men had business interests comparable to that of their political opponents at Vanchiyoor. The opposing groups were in conflict with each other for quite some time, though not always for political reasons.
The DYFI men had also used their strong presence at Vanchiyoor to intimidate RSS activists who came to the district court as witnesses or complainants in cases registered against Communist Party of India(Marxist) activists. Investigators said this was also a reason why RSS activists targeted Vishnu and now, Renjith.
Published - June 30, 2010 05:26 pm IST
