In less than 12 hours, panic gripped the district with two violent deaths. Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) state secretary KS Shan (38) and BJP leader Ranjit Srinivasan (40) were killed by assailants in separate incidents.
While Shan was killed by a gang in Mannanachery on the night of 18 December, OBC Morcha state secretary Srinivasan was attacked at his house in Vellakinar on the morning of 19 December.
According to the police, the attack on Shaan took place around 7.30 pm when Shaan was traveling on his motorcycle when a car rammed a two-wheeler from behind. Police said a group of people came out of the car and attacked him.
KS Shan. file
He was first admitted to a hospital in Alappuzha and later shifted to another hospital in Kochi, where he died around 11.30 pm. SDPI alleged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was behind the attack.
Srinivasan was attacked by a group of assailants when he was going for a morning walk. Although he was taken to the hospital, his life could not be saved. A lawyer, Srinivasan had contested the 2016 assembly elections from the Alappuzha constituency.
In the backdrop of violence, District Collector A Alexander has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC in the district.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the two killings in Alappuzha. He urged the society to isolate those forces who want to spread hatred and terror in the community. He termed the killings in a span of a few hours as prejudicial to the welfare of the state. The police was in the case. They will arrest the attackers and conspirators.
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