Kerala - Thrissur   

Valsalan murder: Rasheed refutes CPI(M) charge

Staff Reporter

Thrissur: C.H. Rasheed, United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate in the Guruvayur constituency, on Tuesday refuted allegations that he was involved in the murder of Chavakkad municipal chairman K.P. Valsalan on Sunday.

Communist Party of India(Marxist) (CPI-M) Central Committee member E.P. Jarayajan on Monday alleged that Mr. Rasheed's associates had stabbed Valsalan to death and called for the dismissal of the Guruvayur UDF candidate from the Indian Union Muslim League.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Rasheed described the murder of Valsalan as "painful."

"Accusing me of having been involved in the murder is equally painful. I do not know the names mentioned by Mr. Jayarajan, who are accused of the murder. They have never been with me," Mr. Rasheed said.

He challenged the CPI(M) to prove that he had links with the offenders.

"The murder is likely to be the outcome of personal rivalry. I don't think there is any political issue behind the incident. But the CPI(M) is trying to make political mileage out of it. The LDF has unleashed terror in the entire area in the past two days, disrupting the UDF campaign. Efforts should be made to restore peace," he alleged.

Mr. Rasheed said the UDF condemned the murder in the strongest terms possible. "The culprits, be they of any political hue, must be brought to book."

Mr. Rasheed said he was confident of winning the election.

District Congress Committee president M.P. Bhaskaran Nair was among those present on the occasion.

Meeting

District Collector Premachandra Kurup will convene an all-party meeting on Wednesday to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections in Guruvayur Assembly constituency, which includes the trouble-torn Chavakkad area. Each political party can send two of their representatives to the meeting to be held at the Chavakkad Mini Civil Stations at 11 a.m., the Collector said in an official release. Meanwhile, the CPI(M) district committee has appealed to the people to keep vigil against the attempts of certain quarters to spread rumours and incite violence in Chavakkad area.

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