A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist who was an accused in a murder case was killed in Kerala’s Thrissur district. The incident happened on Sunday in Gurvayur when the deceased Anandan was hacked to death by unknown assailants. 

According to a report by The Hindu, the victim was riding a motorcycle along with his friend Vishnu when the assailants rammed the two-wheeler. After he fell from the motorbike, the attackers chased him and hacked him to death. His friend also sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment in a hospital.

Anand was one of two accused in the murder of a Communist Party of India (Marxist) worker, Fazil in 2013. He was out on bail when he was attacked, reports NDTV.  

The BJP on Monday organised a hartal in Guruvayur and Manaloor assembly segments to protest against the murder and blamed (Communist Party of India- Marxists) CPM for the killings. State BJP state leaders A N Radhakrishnan and B Gopalakrishnan said that  three BJP activists were killed in the district after Pinarayi Vijayan became chief minister in May last year, reports The Times of India.

However, the party has denied involvement of any of its members in the crime.

On Tuesday, three persons were arrested in connection with the killing. Those arrested included a brother of Fazil, who was killed four years ago and Anandan was an accused in that case. 

Kerala has always witnessed a violent bloodbath between the right-wing RSS and the left-wing CPM with cadres from both parties indulging killings. Since February 2016, 10 RSS or BJP workers have been murdered while four CPM workers have been killed due to alleged political rivalry.