CBI probe ordered into Kasargod double murder

In an embarrassment to the ruling CPM-led left front in Kerala, the Kerala High Court on Monday ordered a CBI probe into the murder of two Youth Congress workers at Kasargod district in North Kerala in February.

The High Court scrapped a charge-sheet filed by the Kerala Police citing serious lapses in the police investigation.

Youth Congress workers of Periya, Kripesh (24) and Sarathlal (29), were killed by a gang on February 17. The police concluded that personal rivalry led to the murder and filed charge-sheet against 14 persons, including local CPM activists.

Kerala PCC president Mullapally Ramachandran demanded resignation of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan by taking moral responsibility of the police lapse. The Chief Minister had led a conspiracy to sabotage police investigations into a brutal double murder, he alleged.

During the Lok Sabha election campaign the Congress had used the double murder of Youth Congress to accuse the CPM of promoting political murder in Kerala. The HC order to handover the probe to CBI came at a time when by-polls to five assembly seats in Kerala are in the offing.