Ullal murder case: Police confirm seven arrests

Kasaragod, Nov 16: Kerala BJP chief K. Surendran on Tuesday called on Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and sought an NIA probe into the murder of an RSS worker.

Twenty-year-old Sanjith was killed at Ellapully in Palakkad district on Monday allegedly by a group of miscreants, who according to BJP are members of Social Democratic Party of India. 

Speaking to the media persons, Surendran said, "We have demanded an NIA probe as all know that the hands of the Kerala Police are tied."

"It has been 24 hours since the brutal crime, which is now understood to be a well planned and organised crime by the SDPI. Sanjith was getting death threats for the past few months," he said.

Surendran alleged that SDPI is getting the support of the Kerala Police and the state government.

"In the past two weeks, this is the second incident of the murder of RSS worker by SDPI, and there is a striking similarity in the way the killings have been done," he said.

"We will now request Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for an NIA probe. We will also meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah with the same demand, as only an NIA probe will bring out the truth as this is terror killing," Surendran said.

Sanjith's wife said five people committed the crime whom she can identify.

Five assailants in a car waylaid and attacked Sanjith and his wife who were on a motorcycle at 9 a.m.

Sanjith was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The police have formed seven teams and initiated the investigation.

Idukki, Nov 21: A 35-year-old woman and a mother of two was arrested on Saturday for throwing acid on a man for allegedly spurning her marriage proposal, police said.

Arun Kumar (28) from Thiruvanthapuram is under treatment at the medical college hospital in the state capital and is in danger of losing his eyesight after Sheeba flung acid on his face on November 16, police said.

"Doctors say that he may lose his eyesight. They met through Facebook, but later he came to know that she was married and is the mother of two children. He wanted to end the relationship, but she tried to blackmail him and demanded money," police said.

They said that Kumar, along with his brother-in-law and friend, went to a church near Adimali on November 16 where he met her to give the amount she sought.

A CCTV visual from the church premises, which emerged today, showed Sheeba, who was standing behind Kumar, come forward and fling acid on his face. In the process, she too suffered some minor injuries.

Police said he got himself admitted to a private hospital at Adimali that day and later got shifted to Thiruvananthapuram Medical college.

A case in this regard was registered yesterday and Sheeba was arrested today, police said.

Lucknow, Nov 26: Four members of a family in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj, including a 16-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy, were found murdered at their home on Thursday morning.

Relatives of the family, which belongs to a Scheduled Caste, have claimed the girl could have been raped before her death, and they have accused a neighbouring family, which belongs to the so-called "upper caste", of the crime.

Police have registered an FIR with charges including gang rape and murder against 11 named persons. The Prayagraj police chief told the media some people had been taken into custody for questioning.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is the party's in-charge for the state, which votes in an Assembly election next year, is due to visit Prayagraj at 3 pm, and is expected to meet with the family members of those killed.

The bodies of a 50-year-old man, his 45-year-old wife, and their children were found at their home.

Police said they may have been attacked with a sharp weapon, and that there were grievous injuries on their bodies. The girl's body was found in a room inside the house, while the other three bodies were found together in the courtyard.

A member of the extended family told the media of a land dispute with the "upper caste" family that had been festering since 2019, and claimed the victims had been assaulted by that family in September. The police, however, were trying to force a compromise, the family member alleged.

"The police were forcing the murder victims to compromise. Sushil Kumar (a police constable) used to come to us and pressure us to compromise. The police used to sit at their (accused) homes. The local inspector also told us to compromise," the family member told the media.

"On September 21 the family was beaten up but an FIR was filed only after a week, and then a counter FIR was filed against the aggrieved family too, though they were the ones who got beaten up," the family member added.

"It appears all four were hit on the head with an axe. There are grievous injuries on the bodies. Initial information suggests that in 2019 and 2021 they had filed cases under the SC/ST Act against some people related to a land dispute. The family alleged there was no headway in these cases. We will take strict action," Sarvashrestha Tripathi, the Prayagraj police chief, said in a video statement.