Kerala SFI activist killing: Police say it was planned murder, will seek legal opinion on invoking anti-terror law

Kochi: The police probing the ‘brutal’ killing of an SFI leader on Thursday decided to seek legal opinion on whether the case allegedly involving activists of an Islamic outfit attracts provisions under the anti-terror law. Kerala Police Chief Loknath Behera said, “there is no doubt about conspiracy” in the killing of second-year degree student of Ernakulam Maharajas College, Abhimanyu, hailing from a backward Tamil tribal area in Idukki district. The killers, allegedly workers of Popular Front of India (PFI) and its student wing Campus Front and political offshoot Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), had come from outside to attack SFI workers in the college campus, he said. [caption id=“attachment_4486391” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] “Whether the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) will be attracted or not, we will take the legal opinion,” Behera told reporters in Kochi. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is reportedly probing the role of the PFI workers, involved in the hand chopping of a college professor a few years ago, in the killing of Abhimanyu. “The NIA Act, 2008 has conferred jurisdiction on the Agency over scheduled offences like UA(P) Act only,” an NIA official said when asked about the reports. Four persons have been arrested for being allegedly involved in the killing. Some others have been taken into custody. Abhimanyu’s family have alleged conspiracy in the incident. Meanwhile, launching a statewide crackdown on activities of the PFI and its allied outfits, the police have detained its several workers after carrying out raids as part of the investigation in the case. Police had on Wednesday carried out raids at the offices and residences of some leaders and workers of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in various parts of the state. The police is also investigating the role of radical elements, participated in a march organised by SDPI towards the Kerala High Court last year, in the killing of Abhimanyu. Activists of the pro-Islamic outfit had organised the march to the high court last year to protest against a verdict in the Hadiya case, which relates to a PFI activist who married a Hindu woman who had converted to Islam. The ruling CPM had termed the attack on SFI members in the college in Kochi as “Taliban Model.” The party has said it would carry out an extensive campaign to “expose” the activities of radical Islamic outfit PFI and its allied organisations in Kerala. Shocked by the “brutal killing” of SFI leader, the CPM had said the PFI and its allied outfits organise such “planned killings” to disturb peace in the state. The SFI leader was stabbed to death and two others were injured in the attack allegedly by members of the pro-Islamic outfit at the Maharajas College in Ernakulam on 1 July night.