Cong leader's murder: 2 CPM men surrender

Police on Sunday took into custody two suspects in connection with the murder of Youth Congress leader Shuhaib in Kannur.

The detained men, Akash MV and Rijin Raj, are both CPM workers. They are reported to have surrendered at the Maloor police station. The arrest of the two men is expected to be recorded on Monday.

Shuhaib (30), Youth Congress block secretary in Mattannur, died on Tuesday after sustaining serious injuries in an armed attack near a road-side eatery at Theroor.

Two other Congress workers also sustained injuries in the attack. Shuhaib was involved in recent clashes between student wings of the CPM and the Congress.

The ruling CPM is facing criticism over the killing and the Opposition Congress has intensified its protest against inaction by the police and claimed that the CPM was protecting the killers.

The CPM leadership in Kannur has denied a party hand in the murder.

Congress leaders said the detained men were made to surrender to derail the investigation while the real killers remained elusive.

The Congress had earlier said the police were waiting for "dummy" culprits to be presented by the CPM before making arrests in the case.

Senior Congress leader from Kannur K Sudhakaran is set to begin a 48-hour fast in front of the District Collectorate on Monday demanding the  arrest of the killers and conspirators involved in the murder.

The two detained men are also learnt to be accused in the murder of RSS worker Vineesh in Kannur, in September 2016.