Kerala police has taken serious note of a ‘provocative’ post in the social media, since withdrawn, on the murder of an RSS functionary in Thalassery on Monday.

The State had observed a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the RSS-BJP yesterday, which was marred by incidents of violence at various places.

'Objectionable post'

What intrigues the police is the fact that the ‘objectionable post’ on Facebook was traced to the son of a prominent district leader of the CPI(M) in Kannur.

Ramesh Chennithala, Home Minister, told newspersons here that the police suspected CPI(M) sympathisers behind the murder of K Manoj, Saririk Sikshan Pramukh of RSS, at Kathiroor in Thalassery in the politically volatile Kannur district.

The body of Manoj was consigned to flames at Kathiroor in surcharged atmosphere with a large gathering of Sangh Parivar workers in attendance.

Additional Director-General of Police A Ananthakrishnan will conduct an inquiry into the murder, the Home Minister said. The top cop will reach Kannur today and select his own team for the inquiry.

All-party meet

Alongside, an all-party meeting is being convened in Kannur with the aim of ensuring law and order and no further breach of peace in the area and neighbourhood.

The Home Minister said that the police has registered an FIR that features the names of eight people believed to be CPI(M) sympathisers.

Prime suspect Vikaraman, who is being connected with the sensational murder of a CPI(M) rebel TP Chandrasekharan in Thalassery some time ago, is absconding. The police suspect that he must have fled the State.

The police is also of the view the timing of Manoj’s murder may have been timed to coincide with the visit of the BJP President Amit Shah to the State.

RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat had just concluded a week-long tour of the State around the same time.

Long-drawn rivalry

The Sangh Parivar outfits and the CPI(M) have had a long history of running into bloody encounters in the northern districts of Kozhikode and Kannur.

Some semblance of calm has been prevailing ever since the Congress-led United Democratic Front came into power a couple of years ago.

But this had threatened to breach after the two started poaching workers from either side after a resurgent BJP flexed its political muscles against arch rival CPI(M) that received a drubbing in the last general elections.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) said that the murder of the RSS functionary at Kathiroor was unfortunate and denied any involvement role of the party or cadres in the incident.

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