The Kerala police on Wednesday arrested P Jayarajan, a senior CPI(M) leader and district secretary of the Kannur unit of the party, for his alleged involvement in a criminal conspiracy of the murder of Abdul Shukoor, an Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) activist.
He was arrested at the police station when he presented himself for interrogation. Later, he was produced before the First Class Judicial Magistrate, who remanded him for 14 days and sent to Kannur central jail.
Jayarajan is also a member of the secretariat, the highest decision-making body of the party in the state.
There were several untoward incidents following his arrest and a curfew has been imposed in the district under Section 144 of the Police Act.
A group of CPI(M) workers pelted stones at the police vehicle in which Jayarajan was taken to the magistrate court. The workers also attacked the vehicle of Kannur SP Rahul R Nair.
Kannur is the stronghold of CPI(M) in Kerala. This is for the first time that a senior leader of the party has been arrested in a murder case.
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In another development, the police on Wednesday interrogated KK Jayachandran, MLA, who is also secretary of Idukki District Committee of CPI(M). The police questioned him for his alleged involvement in the murder of Ancheri Baby, a Congress worker.
Hartal today
The CPI(M) has called for a 12-hour hartal in the state on Thursday in protest against the arrest of Jayarajan. The hartal will commence from 6 am. The police has beefed up security at various government offices and residences of the chief minister and home minister.