The Hindu : Front Page : Gangland murders shock city

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Monday, Oct 01, 2007
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Gangland murders shock city

Staff Reporter

DYFI activist among the two hacked to death in separate incidents

Both incidents unrelated, says Police Commissioner
Anti-goonda operations to be intensified

Thiruvananthapuram: Two men were killed and another seriously injured in two separate incidents of gangland violence in the city on Sunday night.

“Muttamoodu” Shaji, 40, involved in money lending and car rental business, was hacked to death in front of his rented house at River Gardens near Karamana around 9 p.m.

The police said at least four armed persons were involved in the killing. Investigators recovered three mobile telephones from the scene of crime.

Shaji has not figured as accused in any crime since 2000. However, the police had listed him as an “anti-social” on the suspicion that he “remote-controlled” a major criminal gang in the city. Shaji’s associate, “Vattapara” Binu, lost his hand in the attack. Binu has been admitted to the Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. Shaji’s wife and daughter survive him. His family was away when the attack occurred.

Residents alarmed

The assailants had camped at a wooded area near Shaji’s house on the bank of the Karamana river. The police recovered liquor bottles from the spot. The police suspect the attackers, who were on foot, escaped by swimming across the river.

The police said the assailants had switched off streetlights in the colony prior to the attack. Shaji, who sustained several deep cuts on his head, died on the spot. The incident caused much panic in the middle class residential area. Most residents were in a state of shock and unwilling to speak to the police. Officials said it was a well-planned attack.

Commissioner of Police Ravada Azad Chandrasekhar said “Kannan”, a suspected gang leader and spirit smuggler, had emerged as one of the prime suspects in the case.

Faction feud

Around 9.10 p.m., eight armed persons hacked to death Deepu Lal, a 23-year-old Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) worker. He was killed near his house at Sri Nagar in Muttathara. The armed gang waylaid Deepu when he was returning home after visiting the house of Perunthani Raju, local committee secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), whose mother died earlier in the day.

The police said a Sreevarahom-based CPM functionary had emerged as one of the suspects in the case.

The murder was sequel to a fight between two “factions” of the DYFI at a marriage function earlier this month, according to a senior police official.

He said the factions were patronised by two opposing gang leaders, one of them an absconding murder suspect declared as a “habitual offender” under the provisions of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. The Commissioner said the two murders were not related.

The police have stepped up security in the city. Patrolling and checking of vehicles have been intensified.

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