The opposition Congress-led UDF and the BJP today slammed the Kerala government over alleged lapses in a police probe into the custodial death of a man here last month, alleging that the CPI(M)-led dispensation was trying to shield the "real accused".
The two parties also announced separate agitations across the state, demanding a CBI probe into the death of Sreejith in police custody in Varappuzha and seeking justice for the families of the people killed under "mysterious circumstances" recently.
In separate press conferences, the Congress and BJP also referred to the recent incidents, including the alleged killing of a foreign tourist in a mangrove forest in Thiruvananthapuram and the death of a 30-year-old tribal man from Kerala after allegedly being beaten up by a mob.
Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennthala said the UDF would picket collectorates in all districts and the secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram on May 8 to protest against the "increased incidents of custodial deaths and killings of innocent people under the LDF rule".
"It is a case of custodial torture and death. I don't think a probe by the police would be fair in a case in which policemen are the main accused. To ensure justice for Sreejith's family, the government should hand over the probe to CBI," he said.
Alleging that the government was trying to shield the real accused in the case, he demanded that the role of top officials,including the Circle Inspector,Deputy Superintendent of Police, then rural SP and Ernakulam district leadership be investigated.
"Such a brutal custodial death has never occurred in the history of Kerala. But the government is trying to sabotage the investigation," he alleged.
The senior Congress leader also said the upcoming Assembly bypoll in Chengannur constituency would be an assessment of the performance of the LDF government.
BJP state secretary B Gopalakrishnan told reporters that the party would organise a "Chalo Varappuzha" march, seeking a CBI investigation into Sreejith's death.
The march, which would start on May 7 from the residence of a deceased tribal man, Madhu, at Attappady in Palakkad district, would reach Sreejith's village Varappuzha in Ernakulam district the next day, he said.
The BJP also alleged that top police officers and CPI (M) district leadership had a role in the custodial death.
Sreejith, who was taken into custody in connection with the death of a 55-year-old man, died in a private hospital on April 9.
His relatives had alleged that Sreejith had died after being tortured in custody.
However, the police rejected the charge, saying that Sreejith was suspected to have suffered injuries during a clash before he was taken into custody.
Five people, including a circle inspector, a sub- inspector and three members of the now disbanded Rural Tiger Force were arrested by a Special Investigation Team in connection with Sreejith's death.
It was an RTF team which had taken Sreejith into custody from his house.
The Kerala government has decided to give a financial aid of Rs 10 lakh to Sreejith's family.
It has also offered a job to his wife in a state-run institution as per her qualification.
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