Kerala political killings: Four SDPI activists arrested from Wayanad for murder of ABVP member Shyam Prasad

A day after a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) was hacked to death by a three-member gang in Kerala’s Kannur district, the police has reportedly arrested four Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activists in connection with the murder.

Four SDPI activists have been arrested by police in Kannur in connection with the murder of #ABVP activist Shyam. #Kerala

— ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2018

The arrested SDPI activists have been identified as Muhammed, Minikkol Salim, Neeveli Ameer, and Shahim, according to  The Times of India. Police sources told the newspaper that the four were arrested in Wayanad, after they fled there following the murder. [caption id=“attachment_4311083” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of ABVP member Shyam Prasad. Courtesy: Twitter@Kummanam[/caption] However, ABVP had alleged that Popular Front of India (PFI) was behind the killing and demanded that the outfit be banned. ABVP state secretary Shyam Raj said the “terror” face of PFI has come out in the open once again with the killing of Prasad. Prasad, an ITI student, was going to his house at Koothuparamba on his motorcycle when the unidentified gang came in a car and attacked him at Kommeri around 5.30 pm, the police said. The student tried to flee but the gang chased and hacked him with machetes, seriously injuring him. Though locals rushed him to the government hospital at Koothuparamba, he died on the way, the police said. The BJP has called for a hartal on Saturday to protest the murder. With inputs from PTI