Kerala CPM leader arrested in murder case

Senior Kerala CPM leader P Jayarajan has been arrested in connection with the murder of a Muslim league activist in the state. Jayarajan has been charged with criminal conspiracy leading to murder. Jayarajan reportedly ordered the killing of Abdul Shukkoor in retaliation for an attack that was carried out against him and another senior leader, TV Rajesh. The Hindu reports that following the arrest of CPI(M) Ariyil local secretary UV Venu and DYFI Taliparamba block president AV Babu, one of them disclosed that the plot to kill Shukkoor had been hatched at the hospital where the two senior CPM leaders had been lodged after the attack. [caption id=“attachment_399822” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Reuters[/caption] Shukkoor was stabbed to death at at Keezhara in the Kannur district on 20 February. Jayarajan was called for a third round of questioning, and speculation was rife that he would be arrested, after police said that there had been discrepancies in the version of events that he and Rajesh had narrated.