Congress seeks CBI probe into murder; names CPI-M MLA, ex-MLA

Thiruvananthapuram:  The Congress on Thursday named a CPI-M legislator and a former CPI-M MLA as key links in the murder of two Youth Congress activists in Kerala's Kasargode district.

Addressing reporters here, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the killer group, after committing the murder on Sunday, first reached the local CPI-M party office.

"A local CPI-M leader, A. Peethambaran, has been arrested and now the CPI-M is trying to blame him for the crime. 

"We do not have any faith in Kerala Police and we demand that the CBI should probe the case. The roles of CPI-M MLA K. Kunhiraman and former MLA K.V. Kunhiraman have to be probed in detail," said Chennithala.

"The government has transferred the Kasargode Superintendent of Police, A. Sreenivas, who began the probe. Even if this transfer was done as part of the Election Commission guidelines, they could have retained him in the probe," he said.

Youth Congress workers Krupesh, 19, and Joshy, 24, were hacked to death on Sunday by three motorcycle-borne men. While Krupesh died at the Kasaragode district hospital, Joshy succumbed to injuries on his way to a medical facility in Mangaluru, Karnataka.

Krupesh's father Krishnan told the media in Kasargode on Thursday that he has no faith in the Kerala Police.

"Peethamabaran alone cannot do this crime. We are certain there are others behind it. We do not have faith in the present probe and we have decided to move the court seeking a CBI probe. This crime is a well planned out by the CPI-M," said Krishnan.

Meanwhile, CPI-M state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan downplayed the demand for a CBI probe.

"If for every case the demand for a CBI probe is asked, then it's best that the Kerala Police be disbanded. The police probe has just begun. If people have any evidence against the CPI-M, it should be handed to the police and not to the media," he said.