CPM expels four accused in Shuhaib murder

KANNUR: Faced with severe criticism from all corners, including the

Kerala High Court

, following the

murder of Youth Congress leader Shuhaib S P

, the CPM finally

expelled four party members

who have been named

accused in the case

.

According to the office, they expelled the four – M V Akash, T K Ashkar, C S Deepchand and K Akhil – for going against the party discipline. Out of this Akash, Ashkar and Deepchand have direct involvement in the murder whereas Akhil was involved in the planning of the murder and helping the accused escape.

According to the party district committee office, the decision was taken in the meeting of the district committee here on Saturday, which also elected the new district secretariat members.

Though the party had denied any role in the murder, all the eleven accused arrested so far in the case turned out to be party members or activists, which again put the leadership into defensive. Moreover, the photographs of some of the accused standing with party leaders including P Jayarajan and Pinarayi Vijayan also caused headache to the party, finally forcing it to expel the four after the High Court ordered CBI enquiry into the case.

It was on the night of February 12 that Shuhaib was attacked with swords, when he was having tea in a local tea shop at Therur near Edayannur, in the suburbs of Mattannur. He succumbed to the injuries on the way to the hospital.

Meanwhile, the CPM district committee meeting also selected the new secretariat members. The meeting retained six leaders from the old secretariat - P Jayarajan, M Prakashan, M Surendran, Valsan Panoli, N Chandran and Karayi Rajan, while five new faces have been introduced.