Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and state police chief Loknath Behera today met Governor P Sathasivam in response to a Raj Bhavan summons to ascertain the action taken by the government in the case of murder of an RSS worker here. A Raj Bhavan statement said the chief minister and police chief were summoned in the wake of recent incidents of violence in the state capital, including the murder of an RSS functionary yesterday.
"Summoned chief minister and state police chief to know about action taken by state govt on law and order issues in Trivandrum," Sathasivam tweeted. "Chief Minister informed that culprits in murder of RSS worker in Trivandrum arrested & that lawbreakers will be sternly dealt with," he said.
The governor said the chief minister assured that law breakers would be sternly dealt with, "irrespective of status or political affiliation".
Vijayan met the governor around 11.30 am, while the DGP met Sathasivam at 12.30 pm, the governor's office said. The Raj Bhavan statement also said the chief minister would soon make a public appeal to maintain peace. Vijayan also informed that he would be meeting state BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan and state RSS Chief, it said.
The governor asked the DGP to take all possible measures to book the culprits and maintain peace in the southern state.
Sathasivam also spoke to Kummanam Rajasekharan about the incident and the attack on the BJP party office here.
According to the statement by the Raj Bhawan, the governor also spoke to CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan to enquire about stone pelting at his son's residence here.
Sathasivam also had a word with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and apprised him of the situation and measures taken by the state government.
Six arrested so far
Police have so far taken six persons into custody in connection with the slaying of the RSS worker here. The BJP called for a dawn-to-dusk state-wide hartal on Sunday to protest the incident. The hartal has so far been incident free.
A gang led by a history sheeter had attacked 34-year-old RSS 'karyavahak' Rajesh and hacked him to death. His left arm was chopped off and there were several injuries all over his body. The attack which took place around 9 pm last night.
An investigation has been launched and search is on for assailants, they said.
BJP's Kerala unit president Kumanam Rajasekharan alleged the CPI-M was behind the attack, a charge denied by the district leadership of the left party.
'Political violence unacceptable': Rajnath dials Kerala CM
Home Minister Rajnath Singh today voiced concern over attacks on political workers in Kerala and said political violence was unacceptable in a democracy. During a telephonic conversation with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Singh discussed with him the recent incidents of political violence in the state.
"I have expressed my concern over the law and order situation in the state of Kerala. Political violence is unacceptable in a democracy," he said in a tweet. The home minister said he expects that the political violence in Kerala is curbed and the perpetrators are brought to justice expeditiously.
(With PTI inputs)
