Four Cong workers, woman held in killing of two DYFI activists in Kerala : Kerala News

Thiruvanathapuram: Four Congress workers and a woman people were on Tuesday arrested in the killing of two DYFI workers at Venjaramoodu near here and the remand report filed by the police says it was "politically motivated." Police had earlier in the day arrested the four Congress party workers and later in the evening recorded the arrest of a woman, named Preeja, for allegedlyhelping the accused to escape after the crime. "Currently five people have been arrested.The woman was arrested for helping the accused to escape after the crime," police said, adding that two more accused are under custody.

Meanwhile, the remand report of the police submitted in a local court says the murder was politically motivated and the act was committed following a conspiracy hatched on August 30. Mithilaj (30) and Haq Muhammed (24) of the CPI-M''s youth wing were fatally attacked by Congress-INTUC-Youth Congress workers with sharp edged weapons near here late night on August 30. The remand reportsays the root cause of the issue started on the eve of the 2019 Lok Sabha election when the accused, who are Congress workers, got into a scuffle with the DYFI workers.

"The accused in this case had on May 25 attempted to murder a DYFI activist Faisal and was arrested," the report submitted before the court said. The report also said the accused hatched a conspiracy at a place near here and attacked the two DYFI workers on August 30. Meanwhile, state Industries Minister E P Jayarajan today alleged that the accused in the killing were having "close links" with Congress MP Adoor Prakash, a charge rejected by the latter who dared the government to prove it. A day after CPI(M) state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan alleged a high-level conspiracy by Congress leadership behind the attack, Jayarajan claimed the accused in the case were having close links with Congress Attingal MP Adoor Prakash.

He demanded an investigation into the MP''s role in the conspiracy to kill the two DYFI activists. "Adoor Prakash has close links with the accused in the Venjaramood double murder case of the DYFI activists. It seems like the accused have contacted the MP through phone after the murder and his role in the conspiracy should also be probed," he told reporters after visiting the houses of the deceased. Dismissing the charge, Prakash accused the Left party of trying to derail the probe and challenged the state government to prove it. "The state government has the police and all the latest technology. I challenge them to prove the allegation. They must not use the police to influence the probe," he told PTI.

Meanwhile, local TV channels aired a voice clip purportedly of one of the accused alleging that Prakash had helped them in a previous case involving an attack on a DYFI workerFaisal on May 25. The two DYFI workers were attacked while they were going to Mithilaj''s home on a motorbike. CCTV visuals aired by TV channels showed a gang of assailants attacking the duo. The CPI(M) has given a call to observe ''black day'' on Wednesday in protest against the brutal killing of the DYFI workers. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala has said the Congress had no role in the killings.

"The Congress is not a party of assailants. We don''tencourage goons in our party," he had said on Monday and accused the LDF government of unleashing a "false propaganda" against the opposition party.